Bon Anniversaire, Mon Amour
by AlTHR33
Summary: TamaKyou. Kyouya hated how Tamaki fawned over him on his birthday, but now that Haruhi is more important to the blond than he is, Kyouya is coming to realize that it may not have been dread that he was feeling after all. Sappy/insane Kyouya alert. Enjoy!
1. The Day Prior

Yay, I actually sat down to write a fanfiction! This'll be my first one so please don't write me off if you hate it. If you don't hate it, review it and tell me how I can make it better! Don't ask me about Haruhi's mental breakdown, I think she had a female moment, we all get them. Also, sorry it's so fricken long, it was just supposed to be a story to help me learn the ropes, enjoy, and gratzi!

**I DON'T OWN OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB (cuz if I did this is how it would all play out, to the letter!)**

Kyouya typed away in his secret digital log, as he did every day after hosting activities, transferring the notes taken in his black, leather bound notebook into his laptop. There had to be some benefit to keeping a journal, even if that was merely to keep himself sane, or to review for future reference. At the very least its short term use was allowing him to think clearly. With such a chaotic environment around him with his personal and social life, it was useful to look over what had happened, over and over again, reassessing until everything made perfect sense.

As he finished his daily entry, he noted the date, adding to the countdown he had been keeping since the first of November: DAYS LEFT: 1.

It was November 21, maybe the most dreadful day of the entire year. No, tomorrow would beat it. Somehow, it always managed to.

Kyouya couldn't stand the thought of his own birthday. He couldn't fathom what could cause it to be such a joyous event. It was only a reason for people to think for an instant that they were important to the world. _Celebrate my birth when it makes a difference, when I'm successful. It's nothing more than an infinitesimal event raising the world's already too high population until that happens._

Three years ago Kyouya was happy when his birthday was near. When he was little it was the one day his father and siblings dropped their current occupation and spent time with him, and as he grew older it was the day his father allowed him to observe his work, explained the intricacies of the Ootori business.

It was Tamaki who changed his outlook.

As soon as Tamaki became his friend, his social life had taken a new turn. His popularity rose, more people learning of the forsaken date.

He thought it was harmless enough when Tamaki asked him when his birthday was. Besides, he knew well enough how easy that fact was to obtain on one's own, so hiding it would be pointless. He could have no idea that November 22 of his third year in middle school would mark the beginning of a tradition he would have to bear annually for, what he imagined would be, the rest of his education under the establishment of Ouran.

Normally it began with the day prior. Tamaki would bring it up after the morning's foreboding purple aura had diluted and Kyouya was back to his usual, icy self. After the first mentioning they would become increasingly frequent as the day went on. By the time Tamaki was leaving for the day, Kyouya had been able to piece together an entire agenda of how the next day would play out. The first year of their friendship Tamaki had made the mistake of calling him in the morning, but he learned what a mistake it was the second he skipped up to his tired, not to mention infuriated, friend at school. He had waited until after homeroom last year to speak a word to him. Either way, the first words that came out of the blond idiot's mouth were _"Bon anniversaire, mon ami, bon __anniversaire__!"_

As the day rolled on customers and classmates alike would shower him with happy wishes and gifts, though none of them as vehemently obnoxious as Tamaki. His was simply a passion unequalled by any, though Kyouya counted that as a blessing.

The previous year Hunny-sempai had chosen a cake especially for the occasion. It was a rich and moist chocolate recipe his chef had created personally. The frosting was some kind of whipped topping with raspberries folded into it. Every person who celebrated with the fairly new born host club that year, though at that time the club wasn't as popular as it had since become, said the cake was the best they'd had, not to be unexpected of the chef of Hunny. Even Kyouya took a few bites, but with his low tolerance for sweets had to drink what seemed like a quart of water to wash down the powerful taste. Perhaps this year Hunny would think back to that and refrain from bringing a cake, or better yet any sort of dessert.

After that was all over Tamaki would insist on driving him home, even though Tachibana would be waiting with a car outside. It would be the one car ride in the entire year that Tamaki insisted that Kyouya take part in the conversation rather than listen with a comment here and there.

As soon as Kyouya was free of the blond plague he would tread through his door, only being welcomed by his elder sister, Fuyumi. She was the only one who took note of his birthday anymore. She would inquire how his day had been and he would answer in the same manner he might in the early morning by fault of exhaustion. She would try to get him to explain, and when she finally gave up she would make him a pot of tea so he could relax, and leave him to do as he pleased.

As Kyouya reviewed his notes he noticed something didn't fit this plan. The only mentions of the upcoming day were from customers and a few from classmates. Tamaki hadn't said a word.

He reread the log several times before adjusting his glasses and looking up to the rest of the club, who were cleaning up the room. There had been no cosplay today so they hadn't had to change and were nearly finished.

"Tamaki," he called. "We haven't discussed activities for tomorrow."

The rest of the club looked at their president, who pondered what his friend had said. "Well," he began, then perked as Haruhi walked into the room with a fresh pot of tea. "What do you think, Haruhi?" Kyouya flinched. _Why the hell is he asking her?_

Haruhi set down the tea set and looked at Tamaki irritably. "What are you talking about, sempai?"

"What do you think we should do for club activities tomorrow?" He gazed at her inquisitively while she thought it over. "I, personally, think we should have another mellow day. You know, without dressing up or any kind of event. Don't you agree?"

"Please," she said, contemptuously. She looked away from him, occupying herself with pouring the tea. "To have a 'mellow' day we'd have to have a day where you don't come, Tamaki-sempai."

"Haruhi-!" Tamaki began to protest.

"She's right, milord, you add way too much trouble to the day," started Hikaru.

"The only way we could possibly have a day of relaxation—" Kaoru added.

"Would be for you to stay home," the twins finished the statement in unison.

Tamaki was taken aback by the words. A look of hurt crossed his face, quickly being replaced by stubborn anger. "My little Haruhi would never wish for such a thing!" His_ little Haruhi_, Kyouya thought, swallowing hard. "She's not as evil as you little devils. If she wanted a day without anyone it would be you two. _That_ would be relaxing, right Haruhi?" He was nearly begging, as if he needed the confirmation of what he had said to continue living.

Kyouya caught the look of sadness that she had on her face as she contemplated a day without Tamaki, as if the very idea of it was painful, but before the others would be able to pick up on it the sadness phased into the same look of utter distaste she had worn before.

Her eyes shot to Tamaki. "Who are you calling 'your little a Haruhi?'"

Tamaki's eyes widened, his hand shooting to his chest and curling into a loose fist above his heart, as if to shield it from potential damage. "I-…is that a no?"

"It's a hell no, sempai!" She seemed to have to force herself to continue speaking, her voice rising in volume and pitch. "Who in their right mind would pass up a break from you, a break from any of you? The idea couldn't sound nicer!"

Tamaki jolted as if being hit by an arrow, right through the chest. He staggered, and fell to his knees. The twins stared in awe at Haruhi. By their expressions Kyouya could tell they were trying to decide whether or not it would be okay to tease Tamaki. He just stared at Haruhi, who stared back with a blank expression on her face.

Tamaki's shell-shocked expression changed into a look of anguish. "Ha—Ha-…Haruhi," Tamaki stuttered as his violet eyes filled with tears. He didn't say anymore, just sat there, sobbing as he always did when something hurt him.

The twins began to laugh in harmony. They had decided teasing would be acceptable, apparently. "Wow, Haruhi. Way to stick it to him," they said together.

"Not that he didn't deserve it," Hikaru added, with a slight hint of belligerence.

"He really should learn that you don't belong to him," Kaoru stated.

Together they took a malicious grin, looking over to Tamaki, who was pouting to his fullest extent, but glanced over to see their evil expressions. "He's such an idiot," they taunted, making Tamaki wince, going back to his previous stance of despair.

"C'mon, Haruhi," Hikaru chirped. "It's cold outside."

"We'll have our driver take you home," chimed in Kaoru.

The twins each took one of Haruhi's arms, leading her toward the door. As they forced her out she looked back at Tamaki, who was still curled up on the ground. Kyouya couldn't quite decode her expression, but guessed it was guilt.

Hunny got up from his seat by a table, having finished his cake. "We should go too, Takashi!" He snatched Bun-Bun off the chair opposite his own. "Our car is waiting outside!" As he pranced toward the door he stopped and bent over to get a better look at Tamaki. "Tama-chan, we're leaving." As Tamaki looked up and wiped one of his eyes with his hand, Hunny's smile brightened. "See you tomorrow!"

Tamaki nodded, smiling at the boy-lolita. "See you, Hunny-sempai." He glanced at his other upper classman, who lent him a hand to help him up. "You too, Mori-sempai."

Mori simply nodded with a smile, and with that, hoisted Hunny to his shoulders. The two left without another word.

Tamaki slumped over to the couch and sat down next to a slightly irritated Kyouya.

"Mommy?" Tamaki was still slightly whiney, setting Kyouya on edge.

"Yes, Daddy," Kyouya asked, as gently and sweetly as he could.

"Do you…" He stopped, choosing his words.

Kyouya waited, trying to figure out what his friend meant to ask him. "If you're asking whether or not I agree with Haruhi I—"

"It's not that." Tamaki stalled, looking like he might start crying again.

Kyouya was surprised. _It's not? _He was suddenly getting upset, truly upset. "Then what is it?" he demanded, unable to keep his tone sweet.

"Do you think she was serious?" Tears began to well up in his violet eyes again.

Kyouya flinched. That wasn't the question he was expecting, but now that it'd been asked he didn't know why. Haruhi was all Tamaki ever thought about anymore. Of course he didn't care if he wanted him there; it was based on Haruhi's position of the matter. He wasn't sure how to answer, he didn't _want_ to answer. He looked to his computer, hiding his eyes behind the glare of his glasses. "Why would you ask me?" He was somehow keeping his voice steady. Good. If he could keep it that way for a little longer, that is.

"Well," Tamaki thought. "You're so good at understanding what people are feeling. I'm not good at that."

_No shit, you're not! _Kyouya couldn't understand why he was getting so upset. Wasn't it true that Tamaki was nothing more than the trigger for a series of dramatic and awful events on his birthday? All he had to do was lie to him and say that Haruhi would feel better if he gave her a day of peace. Tamaki's attendance record could take a single hit, it wouldn't hurt him that bad, and the chairman would be gullible enough to believe his son's broken heart was sickness. Tamaki would probably be glad he did it. There was the chance that distance might make Haruhi's heart grow fonder. She wouldn't say such a hurtful thing again if she thought it might impact him in this way.

Kyouya's stomach lunged. For some reason he didn't like the idea, at all. He adjusted his glasses again, pushing them a little too hard into the bridge of his nose. He set them, instead, to typing. He didn't monitor what; he just wanted his hands to busy themselves. "What would you do if I said I thought she was?"

Tamaki didn't answer. Kyouya could see out of the corner of his eye that he was looking down at his thumbs, which he was twiddling nervously.

"Well?" he pursued. "Would you skip? Tomorrow? You would miss tomorrow, of all days, just because Haruhi wanted you to?"

Tamaki cringed away from his friend. Obviously his voice had wavered, and the idiot detected it. "Well," he mumbled. "Maybe."

"Really." Kyouya had managed to steady his voice. He had no reason to be upset, anyway. Why should he show that he was? "You never miss school, and you would skip for a reason as trivial as that." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Tamaki turned his vibrant, puppylike eyes on his friend, and even though it was only out of the corner of his eye the image was enough to break the composure Kyouya was scrambling to assemble. He was getting flustered. "I don't know," the blond cried. "That's why I'm asking you! If I don't come and she wasn't serious I'll have over reacted and she might think badly of me for it—"

"Then come."

"—but if she was serious and I come she won't get the time she needs and she'll continue to hate me"

_Then come. _It was aggravating how much Tamaki's confusion discombobulated Kyouya. He was usually so eloquent, but as for now he couldn't bear the conversation for any longer. He reached out and snapped his laptop shut, stopping his typing right in the middle of whatever he had been working at. He stood up as quickly as possible: the little contact between the boys knees was enough to sicken him. Tamaki looked up at him, clueless as usual.

Kyouya swallowed and sighed, then turned back to the blond on the couch, reluctantly offering his hand to help his friend to his feet. "All I can tell you is that I don't know Haruhi as well as you seem to think, but knowing what I do about her she wasn't kidding, but she wasn't entirely serious."

Tamaki followed closely, too closely, behind Kyouya as they walked out of the club room together. "I don't understand."

_Dammit, pull it together. You're talking about Haruhi, remember? _"I mean that, while she thinks she wants you gone, she would be heartbroken if you didn't come." _Talking about Haruhi._

Kyouya left his friend in the building as he ran to meet his main servant, Tachibana, in the parking lot. Snow was falling outside, disabling Kyouya from seeing Tamaki the yards away that he was.

_Talking about Haruhi. I was talking about Haruhi._

His own eyes welled with tears, but unlike his moronic friend he didn't allow them to spill.

_Talking about Haruhi._

_Yeah, right._

I do commend you if you've read this far. I was trying to keep it in character, but my fan girl fetishes got in the way of it. I still thought it was pretty in character, but if you disagree TELL ME WHY! I can't fix a problem if I don't know I have it, right? Well, until then:

CIAO BELLISIMA et HASTA LA PASTA!


	2. Tachibana's Obsession

Well, I did mention this being my first fanfiction, so prepare for possible idiocy. I'm kinda at a loss about where it's going, and this was supposed to be a oneshot! Anyway, anyone who's reading this, I hope it makes you giggle, just because of my undying stupidity and inability to get into the minor characters.

Also, to my first three reviewers who read this the day I put it up! First reviewer, Nayunari "Ayu" Tsuki! My first review EVER! I've only read one or two of her stories, but love her to death for them. They truly were amazing. Next was Incoming-Duck-Fiend, whom I love and adore. She happens to be MY Kyouya, so of course I think of her as I write this awkward first shot at a fanfiction. I know I missed your birthday, mommy! Hopefully I can make it up to you! Finally, the one message I knew and dreaded but am SO glad someone could tell me, Epouvantable. I don't know, is that name French? Either way, she helped me correct a mistake in my French spelling, as I really don't know that much French and was too lazy to look it up. Thanks to all three of you, and everyone else who reviewed too! Continue to do so, please, to help me improve my writing and give me an often much needed pep talk. Now, let's see where this sadist of a writer is leading poor Kyouya now (yes, I'm a sadist and hate myself for what I enjoy seeing happen to him X3)…

**I DON'T OWN OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB (cuz if I did, Kyouya would probably be driven to insanity on a volume to volume basis :D)**

As soon as Kyouya slid into the car Tachibana could sense the foul mood he was in. He put the car into drive and pondered over the correct thing to do. He knew the path he should have taken, and the one he wanted to take. The better option would be to let his master sulk it out, because the chance of him telling the loyal man what was wrong wasn't a very great one. On the other hand, since when did Tachibana take that "correct" formal relationship into mind? What truly loyal servant would allow his master to carry the burden of teenager-dom on his own? Without sense or rationality, poor Tachibana took the latter option and delved into his master's personal life.

"Master Kyouya," he said, unknowingly marking his death sentence. Kyouya popped out of his woeful reverie. "How was school?" A simple question, and in Tachibana's own mind a harmless way to begin what could be a very much needed conversation for his master. Poor Master Kyouya, no one in the world to listen to him. Surely he must be the one to take the responsibility to help him.

"Tachibana," Kyouya spit. Tachibana's fears were now confirmed. Something was weighing on the master's heart. "Why do you insist on asking me that question every day? It isn't proper for a servant to act in such a way to his master." Well, that answer was normal enough. His master was too good at hiding his feelings. Perhaps a different approach was necessary…

"Master Kyouya, something seems to be troubling you." Well, bluntly does it, then! "I'm sure you would feel better if you talked about it, and your only two options are myself or Ms. Fuyumi. Or you might wait until you can call a friend. Perhaps Master Tamaki? If that would better please the master I—"

"You moron!" Tachibana jumped at the sudden outburst. As he pulled up and stopped at a traffic light he glanced back at his young master in astonishment. Kyouya was gasping, shakily. His teeth were clenched, his eyebrows furrowed, and his entire frame trembling.

It only took him half a moment to regain his full composure, pushing his glasses higher on his nose even though they were as high as they would go, though his hands still trembled. Tachibana had never seen his master so upset, and he had been there since his childhood. It was painful to see this side of the young master. What could have happened to him?

"Sir?" Tachibana asked, noticing he was now rendered to continue driving, thusly hurrying on toward the Ootori estate. If he could do nothing for the master, his elder sister could. She was quite the caring, gentle young woman, after all. Perhaps such delicate matters wanted the sweet touch of a woman.

Kyouya sighed, brushing his bangs from his perfectly nonchalant face. He had regained his flawless mask. Now all he needed was his eloquence to fix when it wasn't so flawless. He cleared his throat.

"You idiot," he began to speak, in that bitter sweet calm Tachibana was used to. "I have to deal with that imbecile all day. Why should I call him from my sanctioned time alone for no reason other than to chat?" The master had carefully laid his spell, and Tachibana was tempted to succumb to its powers. With a tone as sarcastic and cynical as that, who could believe that Kyouya ever was upset?

Tachibana shook his head. He knew what a web of lies and illusions his master could weave. He refused to be tangled in it when his master needed help.

"Very well, sir," he obliged to his master's wish for the conversation to end. Obviously he wouldn't be getting anywhere with this. His master just didn't trust him enough. The very thought of that made his heart ache, but nonetheless he kept quiet. Surely there would be another chance for him to strengthen their relationship, but now his master needed the understanding of someone who he would talk to willingly.

"That's it," Tachibana heard Kyouya approve of the servant's obedience, followed by the click of his laptop opening. As he pulled into the drive of the Ootori estate, Tachibana heard an uncharacteristic intake of breath from his master. Was it a stall in his breathing, a gasp? Either way, it was yet another peculiarity in the master's behavior, proving that something was troubling him.

Tachibana looked at Kyouya through the rearview mirror. "Sir?" he questioned.

"What," Kyouya asked, his tone unaltered.

"Is something the matter?" Tachibana tried one last time.

"No, but it seems I was rather stupid this morning," he said, closing his laptop and tucking it underneath his arm. His mask of irritation was sculpted quite nicely, it was very convincing. Tachibana had to remind himself not to fall for it. "In my state of exhaustion I forgot to grab an umbrella."

Tachibana had to stifle a chuckle at the obvious lie. He reached to the seat beside him and picked up his own umbrella. "It's quite alright, sir. As you can see, I'm equipped well enough for the weather. That is, assuming you haven't forgotten your jacket?"

Kyouya looked shocked for a moment, showing that this wasn't the answer he expected. He smiled at the suggestion. "You take me for a helpless fool, I see."

"Not at all, sir." Tachibana got out of the car, opening the umbrella as he walked around to open the door for his master. "I was only taking into account the possibility. I know how you feel when you first wake up in the morning." He grabbed the master's bag after he had slid out of the car under the safety of the umbrella. He moved exactly as Kyouya moved to keep him from being snowed on.

"Well, I suppose it might be possible," Kyouya admitted. "However, the day that you allow such a mistake to go uncorrected is the day that you are out of a job, Tachibana." Kyouya stopped and turned around to face his servant, giving him the wicked smile that, somehow, made the statement seem life threatening. "I hope we're on the same page?"

Tachibana tensed when the smile hit him. He wasn't sure if it was due to his master's foul mood and inner tensions that made it seem so icy, or if that was just Kyouya's natural charm. He swallowed. "Y-yes sir."

Kyouya's smile became colder, still, as he adjusted his glasses and turned around to start walking again. "Well done."

Tachibana quickly followed, nearly tripping on his first step. "Wh-while we're on the subject, sir, I should ask if I should disable the phone line in your room before you go to bed. Or perhaps I should keep your cell phone for the night?"

Kyouya didn't stop, but looked back at his servant. "Why would you need to do that?"

Tachibana relaxed at the calm tone his master had taken. "Well," he offered, "I was worried that Master Tamaki might call in the morning, and I know how much that would upset you."

Suddenly Tachibana saw the young master's back and shoulders tense as the pace was stalled. It was as if he had touched, or rather stabbed, a pinched nerve in his master. Was it at the mere thought of being woken up in the morning? What had he said wrong?

Kyouya shook his head, forcing his shoulders to relax to the best of his ability. As they began to walk again, Tachibana wanted to reach out and touch his master on the shoulder. He was becoming genuinely concerned now. "Sir?"

"That won't be necessary," Kyouya said. His façade was fading, though still believable. Only a slight tremor in his vocal pitch was detectable. "I doubt he'll be calling."

They walked in through the main entrance. As Kyouya took off his shoes and jacket Tachibana shook the umbrella, bundled it up, and hung it from the hook near the door. "I'll need my bag," Kyouya instructed, "so bring it upstairs to my room, along with a pot of tea." He began to ascend the staircase to the second story of the mansion. Tachibana watched him carefully.

"What kind of tea, sir?" Tachibana inquired.

"I don't care!" Kyouya said, a little more loudly than was needed. He took a deep breath and exhaled briefly. "Just…make something black, I don't want green tea. Also, it had better be hot. If it's cold I—" He looked up the stairs, dazedly. Another uncharacteristic action. "Just make sure it's hot. Bring it in about half an hour." With that, the young master slowly made his way up the stairs and into his room, closing the door gently behind him.

Tachibana watched the door to be sure it didn't open for a last thought from the master. When he decided it was closed for good he opened the bag he carried, pulling out the umbrella he had placed there that morning. _There's no way the master could have missed this._

"Tachibana?" a soft voice called from the doorway to the dining and sitting rooms. He looked up to see the raven haired beauty, his savior in a moment as terrible as this. "Did Kyouya go upstairs?"

"Ms. Fuyumi!" He knew the mistress would help her brother. She loved him. All Tachibana had to do was explain the situation. He was so lucky that she was there! He nearly ran over to her. "Ms. Fuyumi, I know how unacceptable it is, but I have something to ask of you. You see, it's for Master Kyouya."

She blinked in confusion. "Why? What's the matter with him?"

"I'll explain as I prepare the tea! Hurry, miss, I worry for his sanity!"

Awwwwweess! Good boy, Tachibana! What a good dog! Am I the only one who thought he was acting rather canine like? Well, Tamaki has Antoinette, and Kyouya has Hotta, Tachibana, and the other one whose name escapes me at the moment… actually, this might have fit better if it was Hotta, I think it's closer to the way he acts, plus he's generally the driver of the three, but Tachibana is my favorite, and it's Fanfiction, so I should choose the one who I'm a fan of, oui?

Umm, this was supposed to be the first part of chapter two, but the next half is sooo long so I split them. Anyway, chapter three is almost done, but I have to revise (and possibly rewrite) the entire thing…it's almost done, but it's a little OOC. We shall see…. It could just be a lonely document for over a week like this one has been (yeah, it's been done for a week, so what?)

Either way, review! It might make me upload sooner, give me the guts I need to do so, you know? Oh, and I've also been wondering if I should make Tamaki go to school or not. If you have a preference, you should tell me about it (maybe I'll put him in late….) I might listen… to any suggestion you have… so do it! Oh, and there will be a kotatsu scene coming up…if anyone has a problem with this, deal with it! It's the end of November, it's cold enough for a kotatsu! Tamaki likes it too much NOT to put it in there (yes, yes I do!)

If you're still reading, you're a lovely person and I send my heart's sentiments to you! Gratzi, et Hasta la Pasta!


	3. Fuyumi's Intervention

So…yeah, this one's entire point was so I could write the little dream at the end. The rest of the chapter is just sorta there (but it's the longest chapter yet…) anyway, as you'll soon see, I have a thing for Fuyumi. She kicks butt, I adore her. However! She's really hard to get into character for… you don't see her that much in the manga or the anime, what can I say? Either way, she had to be here, and she might be in the next (and hopefully last) chapter as well. If you were able to enjoy the way I depicted Tachibana I have a feeling you'll be okay with Fuyumi too… Wait, what am I saying? She'll be in the next chapter, and others to come! She owes Kyouya a nice French dinner! I'll give the restaurant a name, but for now I can get away with not doing so.

So, um, I said I would proof read this, and I kinda did, but not all that well. If you enjoy it I'll be overjoyed, but if you think it's OOC or jumps around too much, I'll have to understand. Anyway, let's get it started, cuz we can't finish till we do!

**Disclaimer I DON'T OWN OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB (because if I did we would see LOT'S a shots of baby Kyouya. Yeah ticia, I'm serious. :3)**

As soon as Kyouya was safe in his room, away from his idiot servant, he let go of the breath he hadn't meant to hold, though it came out shakily. He would deal with his own problems; he didn't need that snooping bastard looking into his personal life.

He violently threw his laptop onto the ivory colored couch on the first level of his bedroom. He left it there while he walked to his closet. He roughly pulled off his Ouran jacket and tie, undoing the first few buttons of the plain white dress shirt. He could focus on changing later. For now he just needed to be able to think, and breathe.

He laid his head against the wall, taking deep breaths, and finally he was back. The angry, irrational side of him had subsided, now he could analyze the situation realistically._ What situation?_ he thought angrily. There was nothing to analyze, the situation was clear as day. Tamaki didn't care about his birthday, and wasn't that all the better for him. He could walk through school tomorrow without the burden of that overexcited nitwit tugging on the last shreds of his sanity with his obsession of something as mediocre as a _birthday._

Just then a knock was sounded at Kyouya's bedroom door. He looked in the direction of the sound and sighed. "Tachibana," Kyouya said, getting up and, with his regained grace and solidity, walked to the door without a second thought. "Didn't I say to bring it in half an hour? It's barely been twenty minutes, you—"

As Kyouya opened the door, it wasn't his black clad servant he found, but rather his elder sister, dressed in a simple beige sweater-dress. She smiled at Kyouya as he blinked in confusion. Here was his sister, just as dignified and significant to the world as he himself, reduced to the simple task of bringing him his tea and school bag like a simple maid. _Tachibana, you fool! _He cursed his servant, shaking his head in disbelief at the stupidity of the man. He looked at his sister, her tiny frame holding his bag and a full tray of tea. "Fuyumi, why-?"

"Tachibana had somewhere he had to go. I think he had an errand he had to run." She gave a lopsided shrug, the weight of the bag disabling the free movement of one of her shoulders. She began to walk in, but Kyouya stepped in front of her. She looked at him curiously. "Can't I come in?" Kyouya didn't answer. She dropped her shoulders in irritation. "Come on, Kyouya, I have to set this tray down, and I can't do that from here."

He grabbed at her, reaching for the tray. "Give me that, it's too heavy—"

"I'm not a _princess_, Kyouya, I can carry a tray of tea." She pushed past him without the tray even wobbling. He must have still been out of it. Normally he'd have that tray and Fuyumi would have left him alone by now. He sighed and followed her. She spotted the laptop on his couch, balancing on the edge. She set the tray down on the coffee table and sat down, pulling the computer into her lap. "You should really watch where you lay this thing, Kyouya. What if it fell or somebody sat on it? It could be easily broken."

"Such simple things wouldn't break it," he muttered, remembering how he'd thrown it down when he was still in his state of…fluster.

She looked up at him. "What?" she asked, as she pulled at the top of the laptop to break the magnetic seal and open it.

Kyouya smiled at her the way he often smiled at the customers of the Host Club. "Nothing." He noticed what she was doing with the computer as she clicked the power button and it lit up in her face. He knew that the first thing she would find would be the log, scrolled to the moment where he had typed without monitoring it…

"Give me that," he ordered, snatching the computer from her hands before she had a chance to read anything more than three words, though those three words were enough to bring the upset Kyouya back, even if only partially. He looked at his sister's shocked face. She obviously didn't understand what was so harmful about the words she'd seen. Kyouya took a deep breath and looked Fuyumi in the eyes. "That's my personal log; it holds no concern for you."

She blinked, and smiled. "You could have just said that."

He offered her his hand, and helped her to her feet. "I have studying to do. Could you leave? We can talk later, or maybe tomorrow—"

"Oh!" She hit her fist into her palm in a movement of an epiphany. "Tomorrow, I almost forgot. I got reservations at a French restaurant, I can't pronounce the name…well, anyway, I got reservations, and that was a task all its own. I did it months ago. It's fairly new to the area, I think they just opened in September—"

"Fuyumi, get to the point." Kyouya didn't know how much longer his composure would last. The mere word "French" brought back the pressure in his chest from before.

She laughed at her brother's impatience. "Well, I got the reservation specially for the occasion. I hoped you might take the dinner as a gift from me. Supposedly they're quite good, and I got a reservation for four, in case you want to bring your friend. Will you dine with me tomorrow?"

Kyouya looked down on his elder sister, her expectant onyx eyes reminding him of someone. He smiled wistfully. "If you promise to leave me to my studying so I can get what I need to done, I'll go with you."

She smiled brightly. "Deal!" She was so much like him, only Kyouya wasn't irritated half as much by her. The pressure became heavier. "So will you call your friend and see if he can join us? It would be nice to have somebody who knows the cuisine as well as he does, well, as I assume he does. I'll pay for him, it's not an issue."

_And heavier still, _Kyouya thought as worked to keep his breathing regular. He forced a chuckle. "It seems you think I have only one friend."

"No, I mean your best friend, Suou-kun."

Kyouya recoiled at that. "Friend will do for him." His voice was low, weak. His hands began to shake uncontrollably, but when he folded his arms to steady himself the only thing it accomplished was causing the rest of his body to tremble as well. "I—doubt that he—" he tried to swallow "—that he will be coming."

Fuyumi beheld her brother in surprise. There was no way she could comprehend what was happening to him, he never stuttered. Never even wavered in speech. Now in an instant he was transformed into…whatever this was. He knew how odd his behavior must have seemed, and looked on the last reserves of eloquence he had to find an excuse to give his terrified sister.

"Tachibana was serious when he said something was wrong with you," she said, the statement sounding almost accusatory. "What's wrong, little brother?"

Kyouya looked behind himself, around his bedroom, for inspiration to an excuse for his sudden change in behavior. His eyes fell on the tea set. _I guess it's the best I can do for now…_

He put one hand to his throat, the other one remaining wrapped around his torso. He calmed his trembling to an extent, though his frame shook slightly, still. He rubbed his neck right above the cavity of his salivary glands, and forced a sad smile to reassure his sister. "It's nothing," he said, swallowing hard, on purpose this time. "I caught a bit of a cold, but it's nothing bad. Just cold, I'll have to turn up the thermostat in here. I figured, if I drank a pot of tea to sooth my throat, studied, then turned in early it would go away."

Fuyumi's expression softened into a normal, genuine concern. "Do you not want to go tomorrow? I can let you rest for the day, and then bring you something, or if you don't _want_ French food I can bring you something else." Kyouya laughed, to show that he was okay. Fuyumi scrutinized him, watching for something off about him. Something that couldn't be blamed on a cold.

"Just let me alone Fuyumi. I'll be fine in the morning." He kissed her cheek, though he didn't know why. He hadn't done such a thing in years. She continued to watch him carefully, and then shook her head.

"If you're sure. I think you're fever is frying your brain cells, you aren't acting like yourself."

Kyouya chuckled again, waving his hand at her. "I have a feeling I'll regret my behavior today tomorrow, the way you're talking. Am I really so different?"

"Yeah, you are."

He lost his smile, and suddenly he dropped the happy mask. "Well, then I must need my sleep worse than I thought." He began to urge her out of the room. "Please, leave."

She smiled, the way that _he_ might smile. She resembled him so much right now. Kyouya had never realized it, but perhaps she always had. But when he began to really think over it, his sister did something that moron would never do: she returned the kiss to the cheek. "There we go, he's back."

Kyouya assumed the all knowing smile he used to mask even his most prominent emotions; it was like a backup plan. "Don't be ridiculous."

Her smile widened. "Well, you study up. Do your homework. I'll come get you when dinner's ready."

"Yes, yes," Kyouya said, his voice edging on annoyance, as he watched his sister disappear down the stairs. As soon she was out of sight he allowed the door to slide and click back into its frame, considering locking it. He rejected the idea, leaning back onto the door for support. Perhaps what he'd just said wasn't a lie, and he really was sick. He wished he could blame it on something as mundane as a cold.

If it was a cold, it sure was one hell of one. His knees were weak, his stomach unsettled. His entire body was cold, but his face was sickeningly hot. He couldn't decide if his head ached or if he was simply lightheaded, but whatever it was had managed to shut down his common sense and reasoning.

The worst symptom, though, was the pressure on his chest. His rib cage felt as if it would be crushed, but his lungs couldn't lift the pressure enough to ease it. His hand had automatically drifted to above his heart, where it lied clenched. He swiftly put it to his side and, carefully, stumbled over to the couch, where he sat down with his laptop. He knew that he'd have to read the log eventually. He pulled the top open, and resumed the program he had shut down before.

At first the only thing to be seen was pointless. He had only hammered on the keys to keep his hands busy. As he realized this, he became certain that Fuyumi had only seen that much. She hadn't even scrolled, so he knew she didn't get down any further. He was thankful for that, but he knew that there was something to be seen. What he had read on the drive home was only a short ten lines from the top. He looked at the name, typed amidst all of the random typing. Without so much as a space to separate it from the rest was written "Tamaki." It could have been a freak occurrence, had it not been for the second and third times it had happened.

After the name made its third appearance the words on the page slowly began to become sentences. The first translatable statement was a simple "hes anidiot".

Kyouya shook his head. That part didn't require any explaining. An idiot? Obviously. Who had ever doubted the words for a second? As the writing went on for another twenty lines the same words were repeated, amid other things. As it got nearer to the end the writing was becoming more proper. By the thirtieth line, when the words changed, everything was in perfect order, minus a typo here and there. The new words, however, made less sense than the jumbled mess above it.

"What is it?" it read. What is it? It inquired what it was about Haruhi that forced everyone to love her. _Well,_ Kyouya thought, trying to answer his own question. _She isn't an ugly young woman. Of course they're all attracted to someone who's different than the girls we're used to without sparing the beauty._ The justification worked well enough, he decided to move on.

"Why _him?_ What causes that moron to fawn over her the way he does?" Kyouya thought about it, but came up with nothing. It only succeeded in amplifying his dizziness and the pressure. He decided to skip it.

The nest questions he skipped as well. They were becoming increasingly stupid. One or two of them asked when everything would fall into place for them, how much time he had left. One asked how he himself would react when that happened. A few things were just more insults at "that bastard's" disposal.

When he got to the last question, it simply asked about the importance of his birthday, if it really was as unimportant as it seemed to be. The most stupid question of all.

"Of course it is," he spit angrily, jabbing his finger into the Backspace button on his keyboard, watching as the cursor consumed the nonsense greedily. Soon it was all gone, and he was able to close his laptop knowing he wouldn't open to it again. It wouldn't catch him off guard now. He smiled. "As it should be."

He laid his head back on the couch, closing his eyes. He began imagining the peace he would have the next day, especially if Tamaki really didn't come.

_Even at the end of the hallway opposite the kitchen, Kyouya was immersed in the rich, slightly burned, aroma of chocolate cake, the second he stepped through the doorway leaving his room. It was only eight'o'clock, much earlier than he would have liked to have been up, but the strange scent had pecked his interest. He stumbled through the still dark hallway to the lighted room of the kitchen, and started at what he found._

_The night before his father had told him bluntly enough that he wouldn't be home in time to celebrate his birthday this year. Kyouya knew that eventually it would happen. He was old enough now that he didn't need a birthday party. He took it gratefully that his father had been there the last five years, knowing how busy he had always been. He could go through the day without a special celebration, he was old enough now. _

_That's what he was expecting: a normal day, not unlike any routine vacation day. He wasn't expecting his sister to be standing on a footstool in the kitchen with cake batter on her face, stirring a bowl of something as if she meant to kill it._

_Kyouya pulled the glasses off his tiny nose, rubbed his eye with one hand, and then slid them back on, squinting at his sister. The kitchen was bright, unlike the unlit hallway, and Kyouya could see that Fuyumi and the—one, two, three—four chefs she had coaxed to come to work early to help her with her little project, had been buzzing for at least an hour. Kyouya shivered. Even at that young age he couldn't stand mornings._

"_Onee-chan," he called out, stepping into the kitchen. The tile was cold on his bare feet. His elder sister jumped at his voice. She dropped the wooden spoon she was using to stir the batter, and ran over to her sleep intoxicated brother. She looked alarmed. Kyouya glanced at the bowl on the counter. "Has father gone to work yet?"_

"_Yeah he has, Kyouya-kun. He left about an hour ago." As she spoke she tried to lead him back to the hallway._

_He stepped around her. He walked over to the bowl and glanced inside. He knew he smelled chocolate, but the concoction was only identifiable for that. He grimaced. "What is this onee-chan? Some foreign commoners dish?"_

_She sighed, defeated by her brother's need to know everything. "No, Kyouya-kun." She stepped up onto the stool with him. Even despite the age difference, she was only about thirty centimeters taller than Kyouya. He looked into her face, waiting for an answer to the first question. "It's a cake. Well, it will be. It isn't finished yet—"_

"_Why?" Kyouya inquired. His sister took to her previous occupation of stirring the batter._

"_Come on, I still have to bake this one, then frost each layer, then stack them, then decora—"_

"_I mean why are you baking a cake?"_

_She smiled merrily down at him, giggling. "Because I wanted it to be special!" She looked into the bowl, still smiling. "Just because dad isn't here doesn't mean we're going to disregard your birthday. He had something important to do that he couldn't get out of, that's all. I could have bought it at the store or had the chefs make it, but I figured that, even if it didn't taste as good or wasn't as beautiful and extravagant, making it myself would get the point across better!" _

_Fuyumi reached down and ruffled Kyouya's raven-colored hair. She noticed at the touch that he was trembling, and that his head was bowed. She smiled gingerly, knowing that the tears that fluttered from underneath his glassed and to the ground weren't in pain. For a boy of merely six who had forgotten what he meant to his family, she knew that they were much needed._

"_Why don't you help Kyouya-kun, unless you want to go back to bed?" Kyouya sniffed, and composed his tiny face._

_As he wiped away the last traces of tears he answered that he would help._

_That morning, at about nine, as the other Ootori boys were leaving for cram school they saw their younger siblings happily frosting the first two layers of the cake as the third cooled while Fuyumi talked about everything she could, and little Kyouya listened with nothing more than a smirk and a nod when appropriate. Fuyumi noticed them first._

"_Morning, nii-san!" When she noticed their bags and that they were ready to leave she scowled._

"_Good morning, nii-san," Kyouya said, very politely, to his brothers. "On your way to your early morning study groups?"_

"_Why can't you just go to the late night one like _most _students, if only for today?" She had her hands on her hips, almost resembling a mother._

"_Study hard," Kyouya said, waving to his brothers._

_Fuyumi huffed. "Fine, but be back soon enough for dinner."_

_They both nodded. The oldest waved and walked away, the second saying "Happy birthday, Kyouya," before following. Kyouya flinched again. He smiled warmly at his cake. He needed nothing more than that simple wish._

Fuyumi tapped on the door lightly. When her brother didn't answer she gently let herself in. She saw Kyouya sprawled on the ivory couch, sleeping soundly. As she walked over to him she noticed that he had an advanced calculus book open on his chest. She chuckled at the thought of Kyouya getting bored of his mathematics and falling asleep, like a normal teenager.

As she nearly reached down to tap him awake, she noticed a slight trail of glistening water from the corner of his eye. It trailed down his cheek and soaked into the cushion of the sofa. She smiled sadly at him, and decided that dinner could wait. For now, he was dreaming. Dreaming of something he would never admit that he wanted, but deeply needed. As she pondered over what it could be, what could possibly make Kyouya weep, she pushed his bangs out of his eyes and pulled his glasses off of his nose, setting them and the textbook on the coffee table next to him.

She picked up the tea set on table, having gone cold without a single cup poured, and removed herself from the room, turning off the lights and pulling the door shut behind her as she took a last glance at her little brother.

Umm, I think it's cute…isn't it? Who can help but smile at the thought of a mini Kyouya still with his baby pudge? Naw, I can't, but maybe others can. Either way, I may die when Incoming-Duck-Fiend reads this. She hates when I imagine her or any of her characters as little, innocent, adorable children… -=,=- Veee~.

Uh, sorry mommy!

Anyway, please read the next chapter, even if this one fell below your expectations. From here it heats up! As according to the ruler of my world, the god of my universe, Tamaki has to go to school tomorrow, but what exactly do France y Prussia want from me? Also, I have a feeling that these "unspeakable things" you speak of are on their way, because I've received that threat quite a bit recently…

Anyway, I'd love to hear what you have to say, so review! I don't get too many of them, so I usually reply to them. I do so love to talk, as is shown by the 3800 word (and waxing) fanfiction you have managed to read. Kudos to you! Anyway, ch 4 could be a while away… I've gotta think this thing over…um…

Danca, gratzi, et Hasta la Pasta!

(p.s. what do you mean, ticia? This fic has NOTHING to do with romano, what is a cameo?

p.p.s. should I know what a cameo is?)


	4. The Dreadful Day Begins

Oh my gosh, is it just me or am I totally updating at a time where almost no one is even watching anymore? I swear, I didn't mean to! I'm gonna try to finish this as soon as possible, okay? By the way, it's totally true that a reviewer is what made me continue. It was a certain Aya-chan4861 who started reading rather late into the story and so she sent a review while I was in the process of writing Christmas In Sunny Spain (literally, I was proofreading it when I received her review) and suddenly I was overcome with guilt at my slowness update. There's one particular story that I thought "If the writer of this did that, I might honestly cry" so it was through reviews and good stories that this was posted, that it was even written. So, children, what have we learned? Answer: always review and write amazing stories, it's good for helping speed up updates. At least review…I mean, c'mon, please?

So, I don't have much ranting to do before this one (no, the previous chapter was most definitely NOT enough, danke very much!) except to mention a few things about the story.

One: I'm a sucker for tears, and jealousy, so yeah, coming soon to fanfiction for you! Don't get upset because it's too heavy or dramatic for you, hear? If you have a complaint, there's a pretty little button AFTER the story that you click and you can tell me each and every one of them, to your heart's delight! I'll read them, reply to them, and if it's in the best interest of all the readers, I just might change it! If you don't review, then you're basically saying there was nothing bad nor good about the story, comprende? I think what I'm really trying to say here is…heheh…review, folks! It makes me happy, therefore making Kyouya's pain ensue. Don't we all want that?

Dos: As this gets heavier, Kyouya goes a little…ooc at times….that is totally, one hundred percent intentional! If you find no significant sign in his behavior then…what am I even writing for, apparently I fail. This is all interpretation, I guess, but you should all interpret it in similar ways. Also, Kyouya starts to swear….a lot…enjoy that, because you may never see Kyouya drop the eff bomb away from here. It's an experience we all need, da?

Tres: Um, where was I going with this…OH! I have no one to say "this is for you" because my Kyouya is no longer a free man who I can pour my fan girl sentiments to without the fear of being chigi'd in the stomach…so uh, this is for me, you reading this, and the TamaKyou in my mind, who do not get the recognition as a totally legitimate couple that they should!

Without further ado, I grant you Chapter four….

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB! (because if I did, Tamaki and Kyouya wouldn't have to go through all this pain just to be together, they'd go through MORE!)**

(By the by, I've realized that it could get a bit confusing when a chapter ended, so to separate chunks of the chapter and the story itself from long ass authors notes using a simple ~~ will that help?)

Kyouya slowly drifted into consciousness he was filled with the groggy thought that he was in Tamaki's house. As his mind cleared he shook off the thought. Why would he have thought that? Of course he was in his own house! What kind of obscene dream had he been having that had made him think otherwise. He wracked his mind, trying hard to recall the dream, but couldn't.

As he sat up he saw what off feature of the morning had probably triggered the preposterous thought. He recognized his room, but not from his bed on the balcony like level of the two story bedroom. He'd fallen asleep on the couch? As he glanced around the room he slowly recalled the events of the day before, thus remembering something else.

_Shit, _he cursed inwardly. The forsaken day was here.

November 22.

He fell back, lying with his hand covering his face. Though his eyes were closed and the room was silent and dark, he was restless and couldn't fall back into the absent state of slumber. Strange. He could always get back to sleep. He would always gladly take more sleep in the morning if it was offered to him. Just how late was it?

He fumbled around the couch, realizing that his cell phone was in his pants pocket. He hadn't even changed into proper sleeping attire before he fell asleep. He opened the phone, gasping at the light it emitted into the dark room. _Dammit, _he thought, angry at his own stupidity. He rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the odd spots in them. When he was sure he could see again, he looked at the phone again, squinting at the still bright screen.

It wasn't until just that moment, when he noticed that the screen before him was blurry, that he realized his glasses were gone. He jumped up, searching the couch again frantically, worried they had fallen off. He hoped he hadn't rolled over on them and broken them. _Fuck, _he panicked. _Fuck! Where the Hell are they?_

When he was sure he had searched the whole span of the cushions, in between them, and the floor near the couch, he stood up and plopped down onto the couch, stressing heavily. He was useless without his glasses.

Feeling quite deflated and upset, Kyouya began to fumble around the coffee table where he had put his phone. He was pretty sure that was where, anyway. He ran his hand across something hard and sharp at the corners. A textbook? As his hand slid across the cover of the book it hit something wiry and delicate. Suddenly his stress levels decreased drastically. He repeated the motion and when he felt the thin frame of his glasses again he snatched them up and got a better feel to be sure that's what he had found. He smiled and shook his head.

_That's right, _he thought, giving a sigh of relief. _Fuyumi was going to wake me up for dinner, but she must have found me asleep instead. _As he unfolded his glasses and placed them neatly on his nose, where they belonged, he commended his sister for what she had done. She had actually done the right thing.

At the thought of dinner his stomach lunged. He had had a small lunch the day before, on account of whatever sickness he had come down with giving him nausea (he was now thoroughly convinced that what he was feeling was some sort of illness), no dinner, and now he needed breakfast. He picked up his phone, ready to call Tachibana, and for the first time saw the time.

_4:36 a.m. _he read in shock. It was that early, and he couldn't go back to sleep? He thought back over the day before. It must have been around six when he fell asleep, because dinner had just been started and his family always ate around seven. So he had gotten nearly ten hours of sleep?

He wondered if Tachibana had even woken up yet. The servant wouldn't be there for another hour, though he always waited until six to wake him.

Kyouya was sure he couldn't wait an hour plus whatever time it took for Tachibana to prepare his breakfast to eat. He shrugged, sliding his slippers on (the linoleum tile of the house was unbearably cold in the morning), walking out of his room and descending the stairs under a shroud of darkness. The kitchen awaited.

Tachibana was worried as he drove up to the Ootori estate at five thirty sharp. His master had acted so strange the day before, and was sure to be worse this morning. Most rejoiced on their birthday, but not his master. If anything his master's temper got worse on the day of his birth, and as his mood the day before had been worse than usual, it was only likely that his mood on this day would be frightfully worse as well. Tachibana swallowed hard at the thought as he walked up to the front doorway. He hoped greatly on the power Ms. Fuyumi held over her brother.

After having removed his shoes and walked into the kitchen, he pondered over what to make for his master's breakfast that morning. It should be his master's favorite meal. Then a Caprese omelet with-

"What are you doing?" sounded the question from behind him. He whirled around, startled to the point of grasping his chest and panting. He blinked in surprise.

"M-m-master?" he stuttered out. There was his master, sitting alone at the table, staring at him with mild curiosity. Kyouya shook his head and turned it back to the plate in front of him. As he gazed at it, somewhat dazedly, he muttered nearly unintelligibly to himself and played absently with the maple syrup on the plate with his fork. "French toast...it's okay though, because it isn't really French...or is it...I can't remember...I thought I knew plenty about foreign cuisine but...what does it matter...still...maybe I should ask...-" His expression went slightly dark, and Tachibana could swear his cheeks had taken a light red hue. "No...that idiot wouldn't know...he doesn't know anything...he's a moron...it's not French...or is it...I don't know..."

"Sir?" Tachibana interrupted his master's endless ranting, slightly concerned for his sanity. "Are you alright?"

Kyouya snapped out of his reverie, jumping up and grabbing his empty plate. As he walked by, Tachibana held out his hand for the plate. Kyouya blinked in confusion, having gotten into the habit of doing things for himself. "Oh, yes, that is what we pay you for isn't it?" He handed the plate to Tachibana and left it at that.

Tachibana looked at the plate, which held a thin layer of maple syrup. He looked over to his master who was headed for his bedroom, nearly out of the kitchen. "Sir! You made breakfast for yourself, and you made French toast?" Had it been he who had cooked such a meal, Tachibana would have been cursed for being so stupid. His master _hated _sweet things.

Kyouya went rigid, and turned around on his heel. Now Tachibana was sure his master's cheeks were discolored, and began to panic at the thought of him being sick.

"Sh-shut up, you idiot. I already told you, it isn't French! That's just what it's called. A-and even if it _was_ French, that's not why I cooked it! It merely sounded good, alright? It's not like I have an affinity for the French, nor do I admire them in any way! He's an imbecile-I mean they are-I mean-I-!"

After the whole blurry, flustered, rushed sentence, Kyouya breathed in shakily and dashed out of the room, leaving Tachibana stunned speechless-no, breathless. He slowly came to the realization that the blush on his master's cheeks were not due to fever, and his odd behavior was due to something a little more than simply his birthday

Kyouya got to Ouran Academy about a half an hour earlier than he normally would. He went straight to his class and sat down, pulling out a textbook to pretend to study. He hadn't talked to Tachibana since his uncalled for rant that morning. He began to worry. What if he did that in front of somebody consequential? What if he did so in front of the club, or their customers, or Tama-

No, not that last one. He was sure the idiot would stay home today, so he didn't have to worry about him.

Suddenly he felt hot, his face feeling like it would melt, and his eyes stung slightly. What was this? Surely this was no mere cold, he knew enough of the medical world to know that, but then what? As he stressed over his strange condition two girls walked up to him. "Um, Ootori-san?" one asked timidly.

He glanced up, recognizing them as two usual customers, one his own and one Haruhi's. He tried to recall the list of regulars, but for the life of him could not remember their names. He internally cursed himself; he _never _forgot a customer's name. Never forgot the name of anyone who it would be beneficial to remember. "Yes, ladies?" he said, flashing his dazzling smile. He knew that if he played his cards right they didn't have to know that he was at a loss for their names.

The girls giggled, and Haruhi's customer spoke. "We wanted to wish you a happy birthday, and Akira here has a present for you."

Kyouya blinked, and his smile became just a little warmer, a little less faked. "Thank you both, especially you Princess," he said softly, enticingly.

The girls both took pleasure at his reaction, Haruhi's girl biting her lip, and the one named Akira blushing a deep red and ducking her head to hide from Kyouya's gaze. "W-well, you've probably gotten several gifts already, and this isn't very special, but I'd be honored if you accepted it, Ootori-san..."

The girl held out a simple, leather case that looked something like a holder for glasses but a bit more square. Kyouya gently took the case and opened it. It was a pen, engraved in gold his name. He plucked the pen from its crimson satin cushion and held it as if writing. It felt nice in his hand. "Oh, contraire, my dear, you're the first." He smiled widely, placing the pen back in its case. He adjusted his glasses and looked to the girls again. "Thank you, it's beautiful."

"C'mon, Kyouya-san, you can do more than just thank her. Give Akira a kiss!" Haruhi's girl's name still escaped him, but he began to recognize that loud, pushy demeanor. He smiled; surprisingly his annoyance at her wasn't too powerful.

Akira, however, blushed ever deeper, covering half of her face with her hand. "Moki-chan, leave him alone!" she begged of her friend, gnawing her lower lip in nervousness. She looked to Kyouya without really making eye contact. "I'm sorry, Ootori-san. We'll leave you now..." She bowed, and began to turn around.

Suddenly Kyouya grasped her hand in his own, not quite realizing what had urged him to do so. As if from a spectators view, he watched as he lifted the girls small hand to his mouth, grazing the soft skin with his lips. The frail girl gasped as the smooth kiss remained, Kyouya talking into her hand. "She's right, princess," he hummed, his voice melodic in a way he had never heard it. _What the Hell is happening? _"But, unfortunately I cannot do more than a kiss to the hand to express my gratitude. I would feel most saddened to do more, as it would be the first time I had done such a thing-"

"K-Kyouya?" he heard a familiar voice cry out behind him. He jumped, and turned around quickly. _Dammit. _Even in his head his voice sounded weak. _I thought he was staying _home_! _Yet there he was, just walking into the room, a look of disbelief and, Kyouya thought, hurt tainting his beautiful facial features. Kyouya dropped Akira's hand, turning and excusing himself from the girls' presence. The frailer, sweeter one seemed frozen to the spot, trembling and blushing like mad. Haruhi's girl waved him away and said thank you, obviously quite surprised at what the host had done as well.

Kyouya walked away from the girls hurriedly. He had no idea what had come over him, it was as though he had been a marionette and had been controlled into doing such obscure and embarrassing things. There was no way what he had done was at _his _control.

As he neared Tamaki he painted his mask of composure over his feelings of confusion and, was it regret he felt? He hadn't felt that way until he had been interrupted. Until he had realized that Tamaki had seen him act so much like the Host King himself. Until he had detected sadness in his best friend's voice...

He took his last steps to the blond, adjusting his glasses on the way. When he was a mere half a foot away from Tamaki, his face was perfectly shaped into nonchalant annoyance. "Yes, Tamaki?"

He watched as the violet eyes went from-he swore there was pain there, he knew his friend well enough to recognize that much, didn't he?-to a jubilant, excited expression in seconds. "Wow, mon ami! You finally have a target!" He slung his arm over Kyouya's shoulders and whispered in his ear. "And Takashiro Akira. She really is your type, I mean her name practically spells intelligence!" Kyouya looked over to the mild and timid girl he had...well... "Elle est tres jolie, aussi, non?" Kyouya worked to translate the words with the little French he had learned either for or from Tamaki over the last two years. _Elle est...she is...tres...the word implies "a lot" or "very"...dammit, I can't remember anything... _Then the image of Tamaki hosting filled his mind. _"Tu es tres magnifique, mon jolie mademoiselle."_

Kyouya swallowed hard as he realized that, whatever it meant, jolie was an endearing word. Tamaki thought that he-he shook his head. "You idiot, that isn't it at all!" Tamaki blinked at the uncharacteristic outburst. He tilted his head in confusion.

"Th-then what was it?" he asked, that odd aching sound returning to his voice. Kyouya wished that vocal infliction would vanish, because he didn't want to admit it, but it was becoming clear to him that it weighed on his own heart as well.

He pulled out the pen to show that he was merely giving his appreciation, but before he had even had the case opened Tamaki gasped, dashing out of the room before Kyouya even had the chance to look at what had caused it.

Tamaki nearly tackled an innocent Haruhi, who had just been wandering the halls. Kyouya unwillingly ground his teeth at the sight, and had to stifle his glare to hide his uncalled for fury. He was just hugging Haruhi, fawning over Haruhi...Loving Haruhi, as he always did. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it filled him to the brim with rage and belligerence for the little cross-dressing-he took a deep breath. _Calm yourself, _he instructed himself.

"Oh Haruhi," Tamaki bawled to the small brunette who was trying to peel herself away from him. "Daddy was so worried that you hated me, I almost didn't come, but I soon realized that it would be better if I were here! After all, if anything can battle your hate-"

"Get the hell _off_ of me, Sempai!" Haruhi growled irritably and impatiently.

"-it was my love for you! My darling daughter, do you hate Father?"

Suddenly Haruhi froze, and then sighed. Kyouya noted a reddish tint to the young woman's cheeks. She was blushing. Just like Akira had. Just like all of the girls did when Tamaki touched them. Just like Tamaki did at every "cute" action by Haruhi.

Just like he himself had been doing since that morning, each time because of Him.

Him. Why Him? Why not Akira, she was beautiful, and ranked fourth in the class last exam, right after Ayame, the female class representative. Just under Him by two places. She was sweet, and seemed to like Kyouya quite a fair bit. So why?

As his face grew warmer, he wondered if this feeling he had come to know through the day was what it felt like to blush. Is that why his eyes stung too, though?

"I don't hate you, Sempai. Actually, I was coming here to...apologize for what I said to you yesterday. It was cruel, and I was afraid that you might have taken it seriously so..." She paused, swallowing and looking away. "I-I'm sorry..."

Kyouya's heart sank as His cheeks went instantly scarlet. He felt his lip tremble as Tamaki laughed lightheartedly and wiped the tears from his eyes. He stifled a cringe at the heartache that came with each grateful, affectionate declaration of "You're so cute, mon petite!" that He uttered. All of these things, however, he was able to bear, and keep his composure considerably intact.

The one thing that got him, though, was something he had watched himself do moments before. As Tamaki hugged and nuzzled Haruhi, much like He had done to him in the beginning of their friendship, Kyouya's pain expanded. With one swift, nothing of a kiss on the cheek was planted by Tamaki gently on Haruhi's cheek, the threatening cloud of agony crashed over Kyouya's head, nearly causing him to cry out.

As he again witnessed this cruel invention of "blushing" spread rapidly over Haruhi's entire face, exploding like wildfire, Kyouya took off in the opposite direction of the stupid couple, trying hard to hide the hyperventilation that wracked his chest. He wasn't even sure if he cared who saw his pain, as long as it wasn't Him.

So…was it worth the wait? I really liked this chapter, personally, but that is me and you are you. A few notes:

Elle est tres jolie, aussi, non? = She is very pretty as well, no?

Tu es tres magnifique, mon jolie mademoiselle. = You are magnificent, my pretty mademoiselle.

These were not from a translator, by the way, though I did check my spelling, so if they're grammatically wrong…well, I fail….

Another note, I figured that since in European countries (okay, France and Italy) kisses on the cheeks are often mere greetings among those who are close, and since Tamaki was raised in France he wouldn't find it too outrageous, but in Japan the greeting isn't used, so to Haruhi and Kyouya….poor Kyouya…

Oh, and to you who know French out there, any ideas for the name of the restaurant Fuyumi is taking Kyouya to? If it comes from you guys it might be less…stupid. If you have any ideas please let me know (and is my Kyouya the only one that wants to see Lovino Vargas show up?)

Hmmm, while I'm ranting….um, dude, be Awesome because Awesome is as Awesome does and Awesome wills you to review, no matter what you have to say. I can take some hate mail if it comes down to that…it'd be good for me…really…..

Hasta la Pasta, Grazie!


	5. Burning the Cool Type

Hey, look, a rather short chapter! It's like four sections too, it could be four tiny chapters, but 'tis not. I couldn't bring myself to do it. So is anyone tired of Kyouya yet? Shaaaame! I don't care how angsty he gets, he's still amazing.

Well, I really have nothing to say about this chapter, except that it's super short…short short short. Either way, if I tried to combine it with the next chapter it would kill the whole idea of a chapter theme soooo….

Is anybody still waiting for this? I know my Kyouya wants to see the future cameo of Romano, so she's waiting for that but I don't know if she cares for the rest…either way, I rarely get reviews, and when I do they're always from amazing people, but they're all return reviewers (not that I don't value your reviews just as much as a new person's! Please continue to review and tell me how I'm doing!) I really wish more could take the time to tell me what you think…

Anyway, I'm realizing that there's a lot of interpretation to be done with my writing, so if there's anything you simply cannot understand, just tell me and I'll, ever so blandly, tell you the meaning, but I would rather you figure it out for yourself, alright?

Enjoy!

….

Kyouya raced through the hallway, pausing for no one. He had to get away from them. Haruhi's blushing, _His _blushing!

That kiss...

It was too much. Why did they have to do it in public? Why _her_? He was so stupid, that idiot. Haruhi was viewed by the school to be a boy, what would that cause? What would happen to Tamaki if the school thought that he was in love with a-

Kyouya's feet faltered, and he came to a sudden stop, pushing his way into a bathroom and locking the door.

What would they think? It was impossible. Tamaki loved women so much that there was no way that he was-!

He fell back, bracing himself against the door. He clutched his chest, trying hard to breathe but gaining nothing more than shallow, ragged breaths. He trembled, pulling in the shaking bit of oxygen he could through his nose, his other hand clamped to his mouth too tightly to let air through.

His head became light; he must not have been getting enough air. He slid to the ground against the door, biting his lip under his hand.

The copper taste in his mouth didn't calm his nerves, seemed only to make things worse. He dropped his head to rest on the door, staring at the ceiling above him wildly.

The feelings he had come to know in the past day and a half flooded over him: he was nauseous, his face was sickeningly hot, while his body remained cold, tremors the intensity of earthquakes wracked his frame painfully, and the most odd of all, his eyes stung. No, stung was not appropriate. Maybe before it was but now? It was more of a _burning_, so much more painful than before.

So much so that he allowed his body to try to soothe it.

He didn't hold back as his eyes filled with tears, didn't even try to blink them away as they rolled down his cheeks, replaced so quickly he hadn't even had a chance to catch the salty water before more followed it.

He sat there, on the cold tile of the bathroom floor, his eyes pouring and his breathing hitching every few seconds. His eyes locked on a single tile, though he wasn't really looking at it_. Why is this happening to me_? he asked silently_. What's happening to me? What is this?_

~.~.~

A horrid sound filled the halls of the Ootori house. Kyouya wasn't entirely sure what the heart wrenching sound was due to, but he knew where it was coming from.

He gently tapped on his elder sister's bedroom door. "Fuyumi?" he called out sweetly.

After a pained sniffle and a haggard sounding deep breath, he heard a barely audible peep, inviting him to come in at will.

He turned the door knob, biting his lip at what he saw.

He found his older sister, face down on her bed the opposite way one would normally lay, clutching a pillow into her heavily shaking body. This was what it meant to truly _cry_ then, huh? It appeared to be highly exaggerated, obviously only caused by great heart ache.

"Fuyumi," Kyouya cooed, walking to his sister's bedside and touching her shoulder in a rare, already at his age, display of affection. "What's wrong onee-san?"

Fuyumi pulled her nose out of the pillow for a short instant, glancing at her brother, trying to speak between the gasps that shook her body. "K-Kyou...ya...ku-un..." She sniffed and pulled in a trembling breath. "H-he-ee...he dumped me K-K-Kyouya. H-how c-c-could...he hav...been so..." Each heaving breath of agony disabled Fuyumi from speaking a little further.

Kyouya stood next to his crying sister, dumbfounded at her pain. He was torn apart with every seizing tremor that coursed through her body. He just couldn't understand what could possibly hurt her so badly. His sister was happy, strong, and never cried. He hesitantly reached out, gently laying his hand on her shaking shoulder.

Fuyumi's whimpering, stifled by the pillow, momentarily ceased. She looked over at her little brother, her face void of all expression. Then, as Kyouya grew anxious over her silence, the corners of her mouth perked up into a sad smile. Kyouya blinked at the melancholy expression.

"I'm fine," she assured her little brother's unvoiced question, seeing the evident worry in his eyes. "I just-" She swallowed. "I just can't believe...I mean, I thought that he and I..."

_He? _Kyouya thought. _Who is he? _He imagined the idiot Fuyumi had spent most of her days off with for the past few months. Him? That moron had kept her smiling every day, and it all ended in in just one?

So what, was this what love did to people? Made them cry, caused them to hurt?

Was this what happened when one fell in love?

~.~.~

Kyouya blinked, numbness washing over him. He held his hands, which had fallen and limply laid on either side of him over the course of the memory, above his upturned face. He stared at them, studying them closely. They were flawless, without a single scar due to a sheltered life. Not even a single callous.

Tamaki's hands were different. There were several little imperfections, each having a story behind it. His knuckles, too, were different. They moved in ways a normal person's wouldn't be able to, as a result of countless years of toning and practice. A pianists hands.

Kyouya began to wonder, was there anything he was good for? His intelligence, but what could that get him in the long run?

Haruhi had intelligence too, and the general know how that was needed in the world. Plus she could introduce Tamaki to a whole new world, one the young man would find enthralling to the end. She would open his eyes.

Perhaps it was time he handed someone else the reigns to Tamaki's life.

He forced himself to his feet, trudging over to the sink of the bathroom, turning on the cold water.  
He looked into the mirror, almost gasping at the reflection. His eyes were dull, his mouth pulled down into an expressionless scowl. He smirked at the stupidity of the image, and shook his hair from his eyes, back to its normal placement. He pulled off his glasses, wiping the lenses clear of the tears, and laid them out of the way by the faucet. Rolling up his shirt sleeves, he cupped his hands and filled them with the running water. The cold liquid splashed his face refreshingly.

As he patted the cool droplets from his face with the hand towel that hung near the sink he felt as if he had started his day anew. His emotions from before were not gone, but they had been suppressed, just as he liked them to be.

He hung the towel neatly on its rack and grabbed his glasses, placing them where they belonged.

He took a final look at his expression, making sure it was washed of all pain. His eyes still held a small trace of redness from his tears, but he was sure it would fade before anyone noticed.

He smiled to himself, slightly amused at his own odd behavior, flicking off the light as he exited the bathroom.

Somehow he was going to redeem himself.

~.~.~

When he got back into the classroom he found Tamaki, sitting in his seat, gazing out the window. As he neared him he noted the odd, thoughtful smile that shaped the blonde's lips.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" he demanded as he got closer. "You realize that isn't _your _seat, right?"

Tamaki looked up at his friend in vague interest, his smile growing when he saw that Kyouya was back. "You okay?" he asked.

Kyouya stiffened, glaring at Tamaki fiercely. "Of course I am, moron. Get out of my seat!" Kyouya smacked his friend over the back of the head, evoking a sharp cry in pain as the blond boy clutched the spot with his hand.

But then he laughed.

Kyouya blinked, confused at the joyful sound that came from Tamaki, after having been hit, and hit quite hard.

Tamaki rubbed the spot, still giggling. "Alright alright, I'll move!" He stood and sat in the seat in front of Kyouya's, his _own _seat.

_What was the point of that, you fool? _Kyouya thought, knowing well enough that Tamaki was aware that he was sitting one seat too far back. Why did he sit in _his _seat?

Kyouya sat down, not aware that he was blushing lightly. The damn seat was warm.

Tamaki glanced at him, giving a curious look. He could see the pinkness tainting Kyouya's otherwise perfectly composed expression. "What?" He grinned wryly. "Not thinking of Akira again, are you?"

Kyouya went rigid, and turned the full force of his glare on Tamaki. He gritted his teeth, not sure what had angered him so much. "I already told you, that wasn't what you think," he whispered harshly.

"Then what was it?"

Kyouya thought, and came up with nothing. Instead he looked away from Tamaki, turning his dark look to the trees and clouds outside. "You're a hypocrite," he said under his breath.

Tamaki's eyes widened in shock, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What are you-"

"Why do I have to feel anything towards the girl just because I was nice to her," he spat, his nose crinkling in disgust. "You act that way with every fucking girl in the school!"

Tamaki leaned in closer to his friend, growing increasingly irritated at Kyouya's belligerence. He was shocked, Kyouya's mouth only got dirty when he was at a level of anger that Tamaki himself couldn't fathom, and even then it wasn't nearly this bad. "Now wait just a minute," Tamaki grumbled. "What the hell did I do? I only do that stuff at club, and there it's expec-"

"You do it everywhere, and we don't _host _to the members of the club, or did you forget that?" His voice was beginning to grow in volume, and he had to work to keep it from being heard by their classmates.

Tamaki was caught short. He couldn't deny what Kyouya accused him of, but he didn't think it should matter so much. His own face flushed, and he pulled in a rough breath. He cursed Kyouya for his ability to keep his face mostly composed. He could never keep himself that way, and had to clench his fists and teeth just to keep the tears that welled in his eyes at a minimal, though a few still spilled. "I don't understand you sometimes," he said in a somewhat broken voice, and turned around, unable to bear the argument anymore.

Kyouya looked over to his shaken blond friend, moving only his eyes to do so.

He didn't understand what had come over him either, but he knew one thing: Haruhi was the catalyst, Tamaki was the confusion, and he himself was the cause.

Then it hit him.

He wanted to hand over the reigns, but what if he wasn't the one in control?

What if Tamaki was the one steering them through this insane ride?

~.~.~

Tamaki hadn't turned around to talk to Kyouya all throughout classes, even the break periods. During the ten minutes between each lesson Tamaki either wandered around the room, flirting with various girls, or they came to him. Either way, it didn't stop Kyouya from inwardly cringing each time the idiot blond flashed his (as many girls rather uncreatively and somewhat cliche-ingly, Kyouya thought, fancied to refer to it as his) "100 volt smile."

An airheaded smile. There were no brains behind that idiot's grinning, and Kyouya was sure that the same went for the smile he so willingly played while hosting. It was just a little more suggestive was all. A little more intimate. A lot more French.

Kyouya smirked at the thought. He wondered if this was what it felt like to be on bad terms with one's best friend. If it was, he might have to prolong the effects of the quarrel for a while. He was slightly peeved at Tamaki's ignorant comments and inquisitions, but this was a lot easier to hide than the strange feelings he'd had before. And as a bonus, his strange illness seemed to be kept at bay. He couldn't feel the tight coil in his abdomen that seemed to want him to either vomit for or wail out in dread for the mere circumstances he was in. _But why would such feelings as those be caused by an illness? _he pondered silently. Wait, no. That implied that this wasn't illness, and critically analyzing the entire situation, that was the explanation he had settled on. But still...

He blinked, dismissing the aggravating back and forth thought process. He didn't care what it was, it was gone. As was the ice that seemed to run through his blood, chilling him to the bone at every thought of...

That is, chilled all except for his face. Why was that still hot when he'd run cold?

And why had this particular symptom not gone away with the rest of them? As he weighed the possibilities, the light touch of warmth that rested on his cheeks seemed to fade, but he couldn't chase it fully away.

_Oh well, _he thought, caving in to the inevitability of-the fever._ I suppose if I were to choose any of the symptoms, this would be it. _He didn't want to admit it, but he had grown accustomed to this awkward glow underneath his cheeks, and the warmth it brought. It wasn't so bad.

"Ootori-kun?" he heard from beside him. He looked up to see another girl, Kusokoji Ayano, standing next to him, watching him curiously. He looked up at her, blinking confusedly. When he didn't respond, she seemed to grow anxious, and looked down to avoid his eyes. "I-I was just curious if you were going to club," she admitted, her once confident voice going quiet with timidness. Kyouya perked when her face blazed a bright scarlet. "Y-y-you see, I-I'm your f-first guest, so if you are I wondered if we could..." Her voice trailed off into an incoherent mumble. She bit her lip and took a deep breath, urging herself back into her former courage.

She looked up, gasping upon finding that Kyouya had stood up. He now held at least six inches in height over her, and she blinked at the new vantage point from which she gazed at the silent boy, who had stood so gracefully he hadn't even stirred the air, or made a sound.

Kyouya could see the wonder in her eyes as she stared at him. That color on her cheeks, it was spectacular. He would quickly oblige to anyone with such vibrant affection. Whatever had happened between he and Tamaki didn't mean that he couldn't relish in that small display, did it? It was different when the customers did it. It was, dare he think it, somewhat sweet and...cute for them to do it. For him it was mere illness, nothing more than the delusion and irrationality of fever. Yes, he was quite convinced of this now.

He smiled and adjusted his glasses, flashing his own "Host Smile" at the girl (the darker, more restricted version of Tamaki's). "I'm sorry, princess. I hadn't realized that class was over. It did seem to go by rather quickly." He leaned down slightly, reducing himself nearly to her eye level. "Shall we walk there together then?"

Ayano's eyes danced, showing Kyouya he had hit the mark, suggesting exactly what she couldn't bring herself to ask. He smiled triumphantly, and offered his arm to the gleeful girl.

Her smile disappeared slightly, as she stared at the strange gesture. She looked up at Kyouya again, blushing like mad. The confusion in her eyes was clear, causing Kyouya to chuckle. "Kusokoji-san," he whispered, noting the shudder that coursed through the girl as his cool breath caressed her ear. Whatever had come over him that morning with Akira seemed to be taking its second offense, though Kyouya did nothing to stop it. He was a host, after all, he was allowed to act this way from time to time, or so he thought.

He glanced over at Tamaki, who was staring at the event occurring right in front of him with wide, stunned eyes. Kyouya saw as one of the many girls the idiot had been entertaining gently nudged him worriedly, yet Tamaki simply stared at him. He grinned maliciously, not quite sure what had caused him such conniving joy. He looked back to the girl before him, touching her cheek gingerly. "Kusokoji-san, if you just stare at me like that I'm going to appear to be a fool. If you didn't _want _my personal escort, I'll leave you be-"

"N-no!" she stuttered out, regaining her self control. She smiled sincerely, somewhat apologetically, at Kyouya, and with that carefully snaked her arm to rest in his.

As he passed Tamaki, Kyouya raised an eyebrow at his still-shell-shocked friend. "Coming, _mon ami?_" His vocal tone seemed to be tinged with mocking.

Tamaki shook himself out of his stupor. "Of course," he assured, grinning. Quietly, in a way that Kyouya wouldn't have heard unless he was listening closely, he muttered, slightly sadly "Après vous, mon cher..."

….

Alright, thus concludes the most recent chapter of Bon Anniversaire. I hope you're all still enjoying it and will continue to join me in future chapters. I love reviews, but asking for them doesn't get me anywhere, so write them if you want a faster update or have any suggestions. I'll always reply to them, and who knows where you could influence this story to?

Thanks for reading, Hasta la Pasta and Ciao for Now!


	6. Painful Reminders

Alrighty then. Are you ready for the most angsty and awkward (and longest chapter) yet?

First of all, I'd like to thank those of you who review (and since I replied to you all, that's really an "Ah, you didn't review?" to those of you who didn't.) I still love all of my readers, though, and I'll love you each even MORE if you stay with me after this chapter because, honestly, I think I've just sent this story's quality level spiraling to the fiery depths of hell. Read at own self's risk, hope I don't lose too many of you. Next chapter's gonna be the amazing restaurant chapter, yay! Know what that means? Welcome back, Fuyumi! And –coughcough—someone that we all know and love…well, maybe you don't know or love him, but I do, and so does my Kyouya, so he shall be there despite any dislike. Sorry, you just don't deny Kyouya what he wants.

I don't remember when my last update was, but I suddenly decided like two or three days ago that I _would _update this, and last night I stayed up until six AM writing it (today I proofread, and wrote the before and after notes. You know you love them, even if they are pointless! Yeah, they probably annoy the shit out of you.) so I hope my efforts serve to at least entertain you. Oh, another note, POV changes around a bit near the end. It was fun, and I got to write through Tamaki for about half a page! I didn't do too well explaining the party, so I hope you don't mind filling in the blanks a bit.

Oh, last thing! Just imagine this: it's Kyouya's birthday, so naturally he gets lots of customers. They all wanna wish him happy birthday, right? I personally would request Kyouya every day if I was a regular at their host club, but I guess I'm just weird like that.

And so, without further ado, I leave you to embark on this wonderful journey that is a seven thousand word fan fiction. Feel free to stop at the given intervals marked by my new little mark of pause. Enjoy!

**I DON'T OWN OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB (because if I did, it would lose ALL of its fans, and fan fiction of it would be no more.)**

"Happy birthday, Kyouya!"

Kyouya walked into the clubroom, with Ayano clamped onto his arm. As soon as the other girls saw the spectacle their happy expressions darkened, and Ayano cowered into Kyouya's side, biting her lip.

Music Room 3 was decorated in the normal, outrageous manner. The only difference from the usual elaborate decorations was that there was no particular theme, and it was _all _about Kyouya. He grunted at the welcoming wishes, trying to find the smile he'd been forging so skillfully a mere ten minutes before. Despite the overall overdone appearance of the room, however, Kyouya couldn't help but get the feeling that it was all...less than it had been the year before. The banners and streamers were all just as colorful and plentiful, but they seemed to have less feeling. Less emotion and heart.

"Wow, guys!" Tamaki exclaimed, walking into the room behind Kyouya with a girl on each arm. Kyouya's eyes widened. Why was Tamaki surprised? Surely he had his own part in this disaster... "It looks great, I didn't think you'd be able to do it without me, but I see I was wrong!" He smiled brightly, leading the girls around the room without so much as a glance at Kyouya.

The same could not be said of him. His eyes, still wide with shock, followed Tamaki's every move as he tried to comprehend what had just been said. _You mean to say that he... _He swallowed, bowing his head and scrutinizing the ground. _He didn't help at all?_

"Why didn't you help this year, Tamaki-sama?" the girl on Tamaki's right arm asked. At the question he casually looked at Kyouya, who was once again looking at him, though the shock had left his eyes. Now all that was there was impatience and some trace of anger. He grinned at his friend. "I was just busy. I figured Kyouya would be just as happy if the rest of the club planned his party, anyway."

"Happier, mon ami," Kyouya mocked spitefully. He forced a malicious grin, looking Tamaki straight in the eyes. "This way it's all bearable. When _you _decorate I have trouble just staying in the room. This isn't so bad." He turned to the rest of the club, catching a hint of the hurt look that crossed Tamaki's face. Sickeningly that gave him great joy. "Thank you."

Tamaki, suddenly losing the cruel demeanor he'd worked to keep up, stared at Kyouya, his eyes filling with tears that spilled over and rolled down his cheeks slowly. Haruhi, taking note of the uncharacteristically quiet and solemn sobbing, walked past Kyouya and over to Tamaki, cranking her neck to try to get eye contact. "Sempai?"

Tamaki's eyes sluggishly shifted from Kyouya down to Haruhi, and back. The little brunette nudged her upperclassman, worry taking its toll on her ordinarily composed facial features. Kyouya's nose crinkled at this display. He scoffed and turned away from the two.

"Well, then," he said. "Why don't you show me what you've done here?"

Hunny beamed, but the twins stepped in front of him. "What a pain, but if you insist-"

"Not you two," he said, shaking his head and waving them away.

"Okie dokie, Kyou-chan! I'll show you around!" Hunny, grabbing Kyouya by the hand that wasn't in the frightened clutches of Ayano, began towing Kyouya around the room, explaining each corner. The presents were here, the food there, and then, the highlight of the tour to Hunny, the towering cake dressed in all kinds of fruits. Kyouya pondered it silently. It looked...good. "We'll eat it later, though, when everyone is here for sure! All of the customers are _sooo _excited for your birthday, Kyou-chan! This party is gonna be the best yet!" Kyouya smiled, looking around the room at the happy faces around him. Included was that of Tamaki. He was known for his quick rebounding abilities, after all.

"Hmm," Kyouya hummed, and then he chuckled. "Alright."

"Okay, then!" Tamaki burst, sauntering up next to Kyouya and draping his arm over his shoulders. "It may be Kyouya's birthday, ladies, but we're still here for you! We will now resume club activities as per usual. Also, to all of the wonderful men and women who have joined us for this celebration, feel free to snack on the food you see provided. We've collected a wide variety of cultural tidbits, so if you have questions you can ask Hikaru and Kaoru. Anything not pertaining to the food, you may ask any of us." He pulled away from Kyouya, shocking the boy into reality. _That's odd. I must not be feeling well again. Normally I'd have pushed him away... _As this thought rolled through his head, he mentally noted the return of the odd symptoms, most prominently the fever. He adjusted his glasses and swallowed, trying to forget about the sudden warmth that flooded over him.

"Now, my dears," Tamaki said, returning to the customers he had left. "Let us go to my area of the room, shall we?" Each of the girls giggled, gingerly taking his arms again and allowing him to lead them to the couch, which had been draped in a tan cover with gold lining. Apparently the pink didn't fit the occasion.

He watched the trio until Tamaki returned the look briefly. Upon the meeting of their eyes, Tamaki smiled warmly, causing Kyouya's face to boil. "Well, Kusokoji-san," he blurted out. "Shall we go to a more private area as well?"

She mumbled an eager reply, obviously oblivious the odd coloring of Kyouya's now scarlet cheeks. Despite the flush, he was perfectly composed.

He just couldn't take that smile again

~.~.~

After rotating several customers, having been at the business for about an hour, Kyouya declared his need for a break. He felt that he had to keep up the strange facade that had become his "Host Self" in that day, in order to not make any girl feel that his odd behavior was, in fact, a mere front, but this was all too much. The blushing he evoked from the girls made it worth it, but it was still difficult to act this way.

He walked over to the snack table, using the ladle in the strange colored liquid to serve himself a cup. It was fuchsia, and smelled of citrus and strawberries, along with several foreign fruits such as dragon fruit and papaya. The scent was sweet, but a small taste proved to be tangy and succulent.

Just the way he liked his beverages.

He smiled at the pleasing satisfaction he got out of the drink. This was nothing like the previous year's excessive sweetness. The twins, if nothing else, were very good at gathering knowledge.

He became curious, sampling the little hors d'oeuvres and slices of fruit that littered the table. He blinked, happily surprised. The entire thing was to his liking.

He heard a chuckle from behind him, causing him to jump and whirl around. He still had food in his mouth, and suddenly became very conscious of his atrocious behavior.

He let his tense shoulders relax after seeing who the voice had belonged to. "Hungry, mon ami?"

He glowered at the idiot, feeling irrationally angry that he had seen him acting so...common. He picked up a small plate and napkin, patting his mouth while he tried to think of a retort to the teasing question. He peeked around the room swiftly, relieved upon finding that no one _else _had been watching him. He fixed his eyes on the boy in front of him, determined not to lose the cool he'd worked so hard to attain again. "And so what if I am?" he demanded firmly. "If it's my birthday party, then I'll do as I please."

Tamaki's everlasting grin widened and Kyouya realized slowly what he had just implied. "So you're enjoying yourself then? You admit that you love your birthday parties!" He clapped his hands together in utter glee. "Merveilleux!"

Kyouya sighed roughly, shaking his head at his friend's single mindedness. So what if he wasn't dreading the club's antics as much as he usually did? Why did Tamaki care anyway, if he hadn't-

Kyouya swallowed the reeling thought, not allowing himself to be upset. After all, who cared if Tamaki planned the party? Everything was better, so he should be glad.

...shouldn't he?

He looked at the bright pink colored reflection that stared back at him. Sighing again, this time slowly and wistfully, he mumbled into the glass before taking a sip. "All the better..."

Some expression slightly short of nervous, with a tinge of pity in the mix, tainted Tamaki's normally ecstatic face. Kyouya's eyes moved to him, looking over the rim of his glasses at his seemingly bipolar friend. "What?"

Uncertainty crossed the blonde's face, as he bit his lip, peeping sheepishly around the room to see who was watching. As his eyes rejoined with Kyouya's, the expression gradually changed into one of determination. Then, as he took a step forward, a grin spread over his face again, but this wasn't one Kyouya was accustomed to. It was challenging, and dark.

Kyouya planted his feet better, still, to the ground. He wouldn't waver, no matter what the idiot had in mind. "What do you want?" he hissed fiercely.

Tamaki, taking his final step, stopped about a foot and a half away from Kyouya, putting his hand to his own mouth in contemplation. His criminal smirk grew. "Only to treat you as I should, ma belle." Kyouya scowled. He was teasing him again, obviously.

Huffing, Kyouya plastered the cold smirk he was famous for-one that made even the creepy French boy before him seem like a harmless kitten-to his face, adjusting his glasses and glowering at Tamaki from behind the glare. "Kindly refrain from calling be that, friend. It is a term for the beautiful _ladies_ that you have left. Quite unlike your usual_, gentlemanly _self, I might add." He gestured to the forgotten customers, who had now devoted all of their attention to the conversing boys. _That...doesn't bode well..._he thought, slightly frightened by the enthralled girls.

Before he had the chance to look back to Tamaki, the blond reached to the table, unnecessarily brushing against Kyouya while doing so. He plucked up a piece of fruit: an odd colored sliver of melon, covered in what appeared to be semi-sweet chocolate. Poising the small piece of dessert between his forefinger and thumb, using the other hand to force Kyouya's chin to stay up. Tamaki delighted at the anxious and shocked look on the raven haired boy's face, an expression that was _obviously _not at home there. "I have to take care of you too, Mommy." He flashed the "Host Smile," though the electricity that ran through it right at that moment seemed a lot greater than 100 volts. Maybe a solid thousand. Kyouya cursed Tamaki in his head, trying to use the fierceness of his glare, externally, to try to get the bastard away from him. He hoped the fever, which now seemed to set him on fire, wasn't as visible as it felt. Judging by the amusement in Tamaki's eyes, though his face was back to the gentle and stunning expression he always wore, and by the thumb of the hand that held his chin, which smoothly glided across the warming area, the likelihood of that hope was low. He felt his eyes widen, losing the anger that he worked so hard to maintain. Tamaki pushed the piece of fruit onto his lip, licking his own briefly. "Because, no matter what you say-" His voice lowered in volume, becoming nothing more than a quiet purr. "-tu es très belle-"

Kyouya grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the melon, wrenching it away, still holding the slice of fruit, from his face with contempt. His eyes dared Tamaki to say another word. Tamaki was making soft grunting noises in the back of his throat, fearing that he'd pushed too hard. "I'll say it again. _Kindly refrain, _and step the _fuck _off!" he growled, the words harsh between his teeth.

"M-mon ami, I need my wrist! If you break it I won't be able to pla-" Kyouya flicked his own wrist, twisting Tamaki's arm into a brutal submission hold. The blond yelped in pain, and fell to his knee. He began to sob and beg quietly. "Alright, alright! I get it! S'il te plait-" Kyouya moved his hand ever so slightly. "Okay! S'il _vous _plaît! Je suis désolé! Please let go!" Feeling a twinge of guilt at the idiot's fervent begging, he relented, letting go instantly.

Tamaki looked up at him with anguished eyes. He stood up, brushing his pants off and straightening his tie. A sad smile twisted his lips upward, barely. He sighed, and just before turning on his heel and walking back to his spot in the Music Room, popped the denied piece of fruit in his mouth.

"Sorry, ladies. We were having an arguement over club affairs." He sat down on the couch, rubbing his wrist with the good hand. One of the girls, biting her lip worriedly, took the throbbing hand into her own, and gently caressed it. She continued to rub the injured arm until Tamaki chuckled fondly. "I'm quite alright princess, thank you for your care." She looked sadly from the hand, to its owner, and back. Sighing, she lifted the injury to her lips, kissing the spot with such tenderness that it almost outweighed the stomach turning it caused in Kyouya. Almost.

Shaking his head irritably, Kyouya left the plate as it was, grabbing his juice and returning to his area as well.

As he walked, however, he recalled the feeling of the fruit, cool on his lip, and nearly in his mouth. The fact that the idiot had eaten it...

He clamped his hand to his mouth mechanically.

_Indirect, but the contact is still there..._

His lip began to tingle as his face flushed a deeper red than it had throughout his entire life.

Indirect, but still there...

~.~.~

Kyouya had many girls asking about the events between him and Tamaki, and was beginning to grow embarrassed. He hadn't realized what he was doing, he just reacted accordingly to the feelings he had to the teasing. It was painful, so obviously his self defense mechanism kicked in. He didn't really want to hurt Tamaki, not seriously.

He idly gazed at his friend from across the room, brow furrowing in worry...

No! He wasn't guilty, he didn't care! He'd reacted to Tamaki's own bad intentions. He wanted to hurt him, so naturally Kyouya had to keep him from doing so.

_Hurting? A little embarrassment shouldn't hurt. Am I just that proud?_

No, maybe that wasn't it either. Tamaki had embarrassed him many, _many _times before. He never did so without punishment ensuing soon after, but normally it was a snarky comment and a sharp smack on the head. This time, there was more belligerence.

Such hostility. _I could have seriously injured him. I almost broke-_

No! He wouldn't have gone that far. He just wasn't that awful. Or maybe it was just because Tamaki wasn't worth the effort, or the trouble that it would cause. Tamaki was the chairman's son, after all.

_Such an important person, _he thought. Again his gaze drifted to Tamaki. _Isn't that why I'm his friend? I've gotten where I want to be with him, I could convince him to do _anything_ I wanted. Isn't that why_ _I deal with his stupidity?_

_"Then why does he deal with yours?" _

He jolted. What the hell? He knew the question didn't come from one of the girls around him; they were all freely conversing amongst themselves. At the movement the one beside him turned and looked at him, surprise the only expression she wore.

"Do you not like them, Kyouya-san?" she asked curiously.

Kyouya's eyes widened minutely, though not enough to be noticeable to the girls. He'd completely toned them out. What were they talking about? He tried to recall what the girls had been saying, but there was nothing there but his own thoughts.

And that question...was that him too?

"Why do you assume that, princess?" he inquired, hoping that he could gather enough from her answer to answer the question properly.

"You...twitched when I mentioned them." Her face twisted in confusion. "I-I know that some people really like dogs, and I guess you could be one of them, but they're really cute! I just love them, and they're purebred so their coats are beautiful. They're just stunning, even for Russian Blues!" She looked into Kyouya's eyes, hopefully.

He smiled smugly: she'd given him plenty to infer.

"So by 'them' you mean cats in general, or the kittens." The question had been unclear, so clarifying didn't really divulge that he hadn't been listening. "If it's the latter, I don't understand how I could. I've never seen them."

"N-no, cats in general..." she stuttered out.

He smiled. "Ah. Well, to be honest, I really don't like dogs, and comparatively I would have to say I prefer cats. Though I have never owned either of the animals myself, so that's purely speculation. The only animal I've ever really spent any time with is Antoinette, and she's just as obnoxious as a certain someone." He looked over to gesture to the boy in question, finding his customers without their Host.

"Oh, come on, you know you love us both!" The cheerful voice came from behind him, causing his back and shoulders to tense up so quickly and tightly that it was painful. He turned around and forced a smile onto his lips. _Why doesn't he just stay away?_

_"One would wonder. Especially after you hurt him so badly." _The voice was mocking, or perhaps it was scolding. Then he realized what it was referring to.

Tamaki was rubbing his wrist again.

He turned away from his friend and his customers. What could he say? "I wonder how you come to that conclusion. Maybe you don't realize how I act around you isn't the way one normally acts toward a person they love." His stomach turned at the word. What was he talking about? Love? It isn't the way they act around someone they hate either. You'd have to despise the person to hurt them so often. _I do hurt you a lot, don't I?_

_"What are you doing feeling guilty now? You've never felt guilty before, so don't act like you care." But I do care. "What are you admitting?" I don't fucking know, what the hell are you implying? "Implying? Why should I imply? I _am _you-" No you're not! "-I have nothing to hide from myself." We're not the same person. "We are." You're not- "I am."_

_I am you._

Kyouya began to tremble. _Well? What do you have to say for yourself._

His conscious mind didn't answer. He heard an irritated grumble in the voice. _What's wrong, moron. Spit it out, I can't take this idiocy of yours!_

_"But why, Kyouya?" _Now the voice was distinguishable. Now it was Tamaki talking to the voice.

_"Because you're an idiot. If something's wrong then you need to either say so or leave me alone. I can't play your stupid games, I have better things to do than worry over what's going on in that airy head of yours."_

_"So you don't care what's wrong?"_

_No, I do! Fuck, Tamaki, I care!_

_"Why should I? It'll pass. Now are you going to talk, or should I call Tachibana?"_

_What? No, you can't just leave! But of course he can, he is you. I wouldn't do that! You did though, and you always do. You'll continue to do it, until you break him and he can't take you anymore. _That _is why he loves Haruhi, because you rejected him._

_No, I couldn't have..._

He saw himself pull out his phone, and dial the number.

_But you did._

_"N-no. You're right, it'll just pass. I-I'll see you tomorrow then. I-I will, right?"_

_"Hello? Yes...right, then I'll see you soon, and be fast about it!"_

_"You really want to leave...okay, au__ revoir__ mon ami. C-c'mon, Antoinette. Leave Kyouya alone"_

He didn't try to stop his retreating friend as he dragged himself up the stairs. He didn't even care when he saw the tears that rolled down the blond boy's already tear streaked cheeks.

_It's all dawning on you now, isn't it?_

_But that was... _He could remember that day clearly now. It was a few hours short of exactly one year ago.

On this same hellish day.

_Don't blame the day, blame the person. Blame who? Blame me. Why you? Because I am you, idiot._

_You are... Yes. Then I hate you._

The voice chuckled. _Of course you do. I'm an awful person._

_You are._

_Yes, _you_ are._

He smiled pitifully. He wasn't trembling anymore, he was _shaking._

_And you're insane. _The voice laughed. _No, that one is all you._

_"Kyouya?"_

Oh no, not another one. He didn't want to see another memory.

_"Kyouya." No!_

"Kyouya!"

"Dammit, no!"

Tamaki stared at him, wide eyed. His forehead wrinkled in worry and confusion.

"'No' what?" he questioned. Kyouya's eyes focused on him, and he twitched as he came back into reality. Tamaki noted the tears that threatened to fall from his best friend's eyes. "Oh, I get it. H-hurry up then!" Tamaki snatched up his hand, and took off out of the room, pulling his raven haired friend away from the crowd, and he hoped away from the pain.

Little did he know, it only made things worse.

~.~.~

It didn't suffice to get out of the room. He dragged Kyouya as far away as his friend could go, but the first time Kyouya stumbled Tamaki pulled him into the room that he knew was vacant.

It was a laboratory science room, so there were no chairs. Just stools and examination desks. He bit his lip, knowing that his friend needed whatever support he could get. He pictured Kyouya sitting on the stool, using him as support. The image made him flush, and he denied it instantly. _He could just lay down on the table..._The pinkness under his cheeks became beet red. That image was _so_ much worse! _God no! Stupid, stupid, stupid! _He bit harder, shaking his head to dispel the disturbing images attacking his mind.

"Tamaki," Kyouya said, his voice sounding stern. Tamaki looked at him, hoping to find that he had imagined all of it. No, his friend still looked...broken. "If you bite any harder you'll hurt yourself, idiot."

Maybe he'd imagined the stern tone. Now all he could sense was a dull, void voice. He pulled his lip out of his mouth, only serving to make his teeth clench together. He thought he knew when Kyouya was upset. He thought that he could at least sense _that _much, but he had no idea of this amount of...what was it?

_Did I cause this? _Is this what happened when he tried to understand why his friend treated him the way he did. He didn't mean to hurt him. He didn't mean to utterly crush him. "I'm sorry, mon ami."

Kyouya shook his head. "You're so weird. What are you apologizing for, moron?"

Tamaki sighed, looking away. His eyes fell on the office chair that sat behind the teacher's desk.

_I...probably shouldn't, _he thought, his resolve wavering. He caught a glimpse as Kyouya pushed the bridge of his nose, in a failed display of adjusting his glasses. _No, I'll own the damn chair soon enough, and Kyouya needs it! _With new determination, he dashed over to the desk, picking up the chair, and trotting back over, laying the chair before his friend hastily. "Sit." The order was strict, not allowing Kyouya the leisure of arguing. But of course he had to try.

He looked at Tamaki, raising one eyebrow at him. "And why do you propose that I do tha-"

"_Sit!_"

He could see it now, just how good his friend was at hiding. Better than he'd seen it during their fight in the class room. More than he had seen it those two and a half years ago, when they'd barely met. When he, for the first and only time since, showed him his true colors. _We're best friends. Why can't you just be honest with me. _Whatever. If Kyouya wasn't going to put it down on his own, he was going to break that stupid shield. Kyouya _would _show him his true colors. _I just hope I don't hurt him worse in the process._

Kyouya grumbled, but sat. He looked up at Tamaki. "And now?"

Tamaki froze. He hadn't thought that far. He concentrated hard on his next move. Oh, one more thing. "Take off your glasses."

Kyouya flinched, trying to stand but being stopped by Tamaki's hand on his shoulder. "No. Now take them off."

"I'm not taking them off, idiot! I need them to see-"

"You don't have to see right now, I do!"

"What the hell does that me-"

Tamaki had had enough. He kneeled down, and yanked them off himself.

Kyouya's eyes widened, everything blurred.

He couldn't see Tamaki, but Tamaki could see him. "There," his friend cooed. "That's the first step to getting rid of it.

"Getting rid of wha-" His voice hitched. He couldn't do this, he couldn't see! He was useless, defenseless. He bowed his head, breathing shakily. "J-just give them-back."

"I won't."

"Why the hell _not?_" He tried to force venom into his voice, but all he got was pain. _Dammit! _he cursed. _Why am I so..._

_Weak?_

_You shut the hell up._

The voice laughed. _Make me. You have the power to do that you know._

_I do? Tell me how._

It snickered again. _Accept me as yourself._

_I have, dammit, so why the hell are you still here?_

_You need to accept our feelings._

"Because I can't let you hide from me anymore. Please, Kyouya, tell me what's wrong!" Tamaki was sobbing. Kyouya felt a pang in his chest.

_Idiot. Not in your chest, in your _heart.

His heart? Why was that any different from his chest. _You really are stupid. I'm ashamed._

He shook his head. "Nothing's wrong, Tamaki. Let's go ba-"

"Liar!" Tamaki clenched his teeth harder, his fists balling up at his sides. His stance was rigid, and he, too, was trembling now.

Kyouya flinched. "How dare you? How the hell can you call me that? You have _no _real reason behind your accu-"

The blond boy kneeled again, holding Kyouya down by his shoulder. He locked eyes with him, cutting off Kyouya's angry retort. "Then explain this..." he challenged, running his hand across his friends cheek, the contact ever so slight.

Kyouya tensed, seizing the hand by the wrist, causing Tamaki to yelp. _Oh, brilliant work, you fool. What are you going to _do_? Finish what you started? _No, he wouldn't...so why was his grip getting tighter?

This time instead of begging for release, however, Tamaki just clenched his jaw, stifling his crying to the best of his ability. The little whimpers still came from his throat, though. He spoke through his teeth, the pain in his arm turning his voice into a hiss. "If that's what you want then just _snap _the damn thing, but after you _will tell me why!"_

Then Kyouya felt it. A streak of cold that ran down his face from his eye to his chin, and he could feel the water that had trickled down Tamaki's hand and onto his own.

Why was he crying? The tears picked up pace, falling and soaking into his clothes. With his free hand Tamaki reached and stroked the other cheek, soaking the tears into the sleeve of his jacket.

Kyouya didn't feel like he was crying. He just felt confused. He closed his eyes, they weren't of any use to him anyway. He breathed deeply, loosening his grip of Tamaki's arm, smacking away the other with his own free hand. He heard Tamaki gasp as soon as he felt the circulation return to his fingers, and Kyouya could feel the tendons in his arm move as he flexed and extended them, relishing in the feeling of the blood rushing through them, the capillaries tingling. He heard him giggle at the sensation. At least, that's what he assumed the bell like sound was evoked by. He himself smiled, pulling the hand away from his face.

He applied short, pulsing pressure to the wrist, feeling the joint and bone around it. With each pulse he heard Tamaki wince.

He sighed. "It's not broken, but it may be sprained..." Guilt ripped through him, and this time, he accepted it for what it was. Where was the voice? It suddenly had nothing to say? Then guilt was the feeling he needed to accept?

_Ah, so close, yet so far away._

_Damn. _He really thought it was gone. He heard a chuckle in reply. _Keep trying. _

_I will._

He felt Tamaki try to pull away, urgently. "Y-y-yeah! Wait, I mean, no! I-it doesn't even really hurt, actually. I just over reacted, really. Hah, big surprise, right?"

"Tamaki."

"Y-yeah?"

"Kindly return my glasses to their rightful place."

Suddenly he felt Tamaki's hand wrenched from his grip, and heard his friend's clothes scrape together as he fidgeted and rubbed the back of his head.

He sighed, growing irritated. "Tamaki."

"Yes, mon ami?" he answered urgently.

"_Now!_"

He heard retreating footsteps. "N-no..."

"And why the hell not?"

Hesitation. Kyouya growled, low in his throat. "I-I...lost...them...?"

"Liar!" He enjoyed returning the insult, feeling somehow that by doing so it got rid of when Tamaki had said it to him.

He heard more fidgeting, quicker retreating. He stood up, prepared to search blind if necessary. "Just give them to me."

"I-I can't!" Tamaki was far away by now, and this aggravated Kyouya to no end. He began taking hesitative steps forward, feeling his way towards the voice. "Don't, Kyouya, you'll run into something or fall!"

"My glasses," he ordered simply.

"Please, just sit for a little longer...I'll give them back in a moment..." Tamaki's voice was lowering, slurring slightly.

"Why not now?" Kyouya inquired, taking a few more steps.

"Because, I-" Tamaki mumbled. "I don't want you to see me quite yet..."

Kyouya sighed, what was he hiding? "That's not fair. You took away my mask, now you're wearing it yourself. Just hand them over and we can pretend like this little exchange never happened." He wouldn't mind that so much himself.

He heard the blond sigh and the footsteps as he neared him again. He felt his glasses pushed gently onto his face. He pushed them up the bridge of his nose and opened his eyes, seeing Tamaki's, once again, quickly retreating form. He smiled, and followed at his own pace.

Things were back to normal.

_But what was he hiding?_

~.~.~

When they walked back into the clubroom, all of the girls who were standing at Kyouya's "station" rushed over the second they saw them. It seemed that they-they being his customers, Tamaki's customers, and a few bystanders-had been waiting.

"Is everything alright?" one asked sheepishly, and they all hummed in similar worry.

Tamaki waved away their worry. "Fine, ladies. Everything is fine. I could just see that Kyouya was uncomfortable, so I escorted him to the bathroom. He wasn't feeling too well, you see." Many of the girls cringed, disgusted at the information they had been given.

One of the girls, however, didn't care. She looked from Tamaki to Kyouya, then back. "And you, Tamaki-sama? You don't look so well, yourself." She pressed the back of her hand to Tamaki's forehead. "You are somewhat warm..."

He merely laughed, taking her hand into his own and squeezing it gently. Her cheeks turned pink. "I'm fine, princess. Please just go sit back in our spot and I'll join you shortly. That goes for all of my customers."

They all looked at him, and obediently began to walk toward the sofa. All but the one girl, who stood holding Tamaki's hand and looking up at him worriedly. Kyouya grimaced at their intertwined fingers.

_Big deal. He was holding _your _hand all the way to that room and you didn't even notice._

_Well apparently you did, so I must have._

_You're finally getting it._

"I'm not so sure that I believe you..." Her blush deepened.

"Please, princess," Kyouya interjected, pulling Tamaki away from her by his shoulder. "Allow me a moment more with him, and then I'll gladly relinquish him to your clutches."

"M-my clutches?" She considered the word, then let it go, walking away. "Fine, but watch him. Fever tends to make one less steady."

_Fever? _he wondered. Was it the same fever that he'd been dealing with all day? "You're sick?"

"Ah, no," Tamaki explained. "She just figured that that's what it was, but I'm as healthy as always."

Kyouya turned him around, shocking both he and Tamaki. _Wh-what? That's no fever, that's... _Was his friend...blushing?

_Well, is it still cute?_

_It was cute when girls did it, not-_

_Why should it change?_

_Because he's-_

_What?_

He had to think about it. Tamaki was his best friend, not a girl that he was hosting to. He wasn't supposed to think he was cute...of course he wasn't cute, he was just his best friend. _I just wonder if it's the same as my fever..._

_You said it wasn't a fever._

_I-it's not! I can definitely tell the difference._

_So are you admitting that you have no fever?_

_Sh-shut up!_

Of course it was fever, what was that stupid voice getting at, anyway?

And speaking of the fever...it began to engulf him again.

The warmer his face became, the wider Tamaki's eyes got. His smile grew, too, but it was different than the many he'd worn that day. This one was knowing, and told of a resolution he had just made. "M-mon ami?"

"Don't stutter, you idiot. It's unbecoming and will irritate your guests. Now, what?"

"Do you think that we could carpool home after this? My chauffer is, uh, busy." He looked into Kyouya's eyes, waiting for a flicker of emotion, but none came. _Darn..._

_Tell him yes, idiot! Fuyumi wants him there, remember?_

_No, I'm becoming too confident. I shouldn't expect anything of it._

_So don't, just tell him yes!_

He cleared his throat. "If you want a ride then you're going to have to come to dinner with us. My sister would enjoy your presence."

"Deal!" agreed Tamaki, happy at his friend's acceptance of the request. _All the better for me, mon ami!_

He stuck his hand out for Kyouya to shake, and Kyouya stared at it in uncertainty.

_J-just don't get your hopes up. Don't forget who his heart belongs to. _With that, he slowly reached out to take the outstretched hand, but was suddenly captured by the twins, being dragged to the middle of the room. "Alright guys!"

"The party's almost over!"

"The only thing left to do now-"

"Is cut the cake, and sing to Kyouya."

"But before we do that-"

"We're granting him one-"

""Ultimate Birthday Request!""

Kyouya huffed. "Just what the _hell _do you think you're doing, morons?" he grumbled at them below his breath.

""Just ensuring a little fun."" Their _unison_ only made him angrier.

He tried to protest, but Hikaru cut him off. "Come on, Kyouya-sempai!"

Kaoru finished the thought. "It's our present to you! Whatever you request, if they're in the room..."

""They _have _to do it!""

He sighed, and looked around. He didn't really know anybody outside of the club, and he could undoubtedly get anyone in the club to do whatever he wanted them to do, just by playing his cards right.

_Are you crazy? This is the perfect chance!_

_You're right. _He knew what he would request.

_Of course I am! Now! Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss!_

His heart throbbed in his chest, he wasn't sure if he was ready to do it though.

_That'll pass, just relax! C'mon, they're all waiting. _He's _waiting._

He just needed proof of His feelings, no matter how sure he was of them. _I know they're there, just as well as I know they're returned. He's in love, I know this. But I still need it._

_You _want _it._

"Well then," he said, taking the microphone from the twin holding it, not caring to figure out which of the two that was. "I suppose what I want is a little bit of...justification."

_Wait, justification for what? What are you talking about?_

"He's annoyed or embarrassed me in countless ways in this one day, and I believe a little righteous revenge is in order here."

_You're confusing me..._

_Don't worry, I'm confusing myself too._

_Well, what are you waiting for? Look, he's blushing! Are you sure you won't admit that you find that cute?_

_It's not cute._

The voice sighed. _Fine, just get on with it._

"My request is this. Tamaki, step forward please." The blond did as he was told. Kyouya leaned toward him, closing the distance between them. "You better learn something from this..." He straightened and talked to the rest of the room again. "Now, Haruhi, come forward." _Yes, make her watch it, throw it in her fa- _"Tamaki, I want you to kiss Haruhi."

_Wait, what are you talking about? You don't wanna see that! Yes, I do. No, you know that you _really _don't! You're right, I really don't. So stop it, stupid! I can't. Of course you can! Look how flustered he is, he doesn't want to! Yes he does. No!_

_Yes._

_Why would you do that to yourself?_

_Because I need to face the fact of the matter. I need to be reminded._

"Kyouya, I-"

"It doesn't have to be on the lips," he offered. "It can be on the cheek, the forehead, whatever. Just make sure it's somewhere on his face." The girls around them all squealed in delight.

Tamaki blushed deeply. _Bingo. That should be all the proof that I need. Still, I need to push him into it._

_You really don't._

"K-Kyouya, is that really what you want?" Tamaki asked, sounding horribly anxious and overwhelmed. Kyouya smiled bitterly.

"Hikaru, Kaoru. Ready the camera."

Hikaru was, for lack of a more fitting word, pissed. "Why the hell do you want to see that?" he demanded.

Kyouya's smile widened exponentially. _I guess he needs it, too._

_No one fucking needs to see that! Now take it back, request that they all give you a thousand yen or something instead! That makes sense, this _doesn't _make sense._

_It makes perfect sense._

He gave the jealous twin an amused glance. _You'd do well to accept it Hikaru. _Noting that Kaoru, too, was glaring at him, he chuckled. _You too, Kaoru. _"It's not what I want to see, it's what the customers want to see. Now, take the picture and I'll cut you a quarter of the profits. Don't do it, and you'll surely regret it. I can assure you of that." His voice was menacing and cold, just the way he wanted it to be. For an instant he felt like himself again, which was enough to add some sincerity to the otherwise completely fake smile.

Kaoru grumbled, reaching over to the nearest table and producing a metallic, orchid colored camera from behind the plant. Hikaru watched all of this, and instantly turned to glare at Kyouya when everyone was ready to go. "You stupid bastard," he muttered spitefully.

Kyouya chuckled, and turned back to the two before him. "Alright, Tono," Kaoru called out to the couple. "Just don't be too fast, otherwise Kyouya will make you do it again so I get a picture." Tamaki nodded, turning to Haruhi and taking a deep breath. She simply seemed confused.

"I-I guess whenever you're ready..." She said nervously. She didn't seem to like being watched.

He nodded again, placing his non-injured hand on her chin and tilting her face up to pinpoint a spot.

Deciding on one, he leaned forward. Just before the contact was made, Kyouya thought to himself. _This is your punishment, for the pain you've caused and the happiness you've denied him. This is your proof of who he should love, and who he does love. This is to show you that you've lost control._

The flash blared through the room as the picture was taken. Ear splitting squeals came from every direction of the room, and Kyouya's smile flickered. He had to work to maintain a happy facade.

_This is your proof, and it's time to accept things for how they really are._

_Speaking of accepting, where did that snarky voice go?_

~.~.~

Okie dokie, so last chapter I had one of my beloved readers have to ask what something in the few French words that I use meant, and that just shouldn't happen. Ever. I get irritated when I'm reading stories and there's a part that I can't piece together on my own, so now I will be adding these… (If you don't need them you can just skip them.)

**TRANSLATION AND CULTURAL NOTES:**

Honorific "-sama" : Honestly, this was a casualty I ran into after using honorifics to convey how Kyouya has changed over the years in a previous chapter (I have no idea which one, aren't I great?) I watched the anime in English, so I just went with what I thought the customers would call the hosts. The fact that they change was also a way to convey the different personalities of the customers. If you have a question about any specific honorifics, either ask me or go find an authentic translated manga (meaning the story was originally written in Japan) because they always have a little honorifics key to help you out.

French "Mon ami." : They use this phrase in both versions of the anime (and let me be a fan girl and note how ADORABLE Mamoru Miyano was saying it! If you have a heart, you "D'awwwee"d. -hearts-) so maybe I don't have to explain it, but either way. It just means "My friend." An added note, if there's an 'e' at the end, it's referring to a girl. Isn't that just awesome? I may use that later on, if I choose…but probably not. Maybe in a different story…

Japanese "Sempai." : In both versions of the anime, this is used by Haruhi and the twins. it's just a word to show that one is higher in standing than the person saying it. Because she's a first year, Haruhi is Tamaki's "Kohai" (exact opposite of sempai) so she refers to him as "Tamaki-sempai." (If that's confusing, he's older, so she shows her respect by calling him "upperclassman.) A connection I make to it is what siblings call each other. If you've ever noticed, a younger sibling calls their older sibling "Nii-san", "Onee-chan" etc. These are the words for brother or sister. The older siblings just call them by their names. If you need an example of this, go back to the chapters with Kyouya's memories of Fuyumi.

Honorific "-chan" : This is an endearing honorific, often used by small children. The fact that Hunny uses it shows how childish he really is, or that he's using it to seem childish in my mind. Honestly? Hunny scares the crap out of me. Haninozuka fan girls, don't eat me.

French "Merveilleux" : "Marvelous." I could have put many other words, but the very thought of Tamaki using the word marvelous made me giggle. It seems like a very preppy word when I imagine him saying it. (C'mon, you know it's a funny word! Admit iiiit~ o,o)

French "Ma belle" : There's more significance in this than just the meaning. Literally it means "My beautiful," but anyone who's taken or speaks a Latin based language knows that there are certain rules, one of which is the "Masculine/Feminine" rule. Basically, there are words for men and words for women. By calling him "belle" (which is feminine) rather than the appropriate masculine word "beau" Tamaki is pretty much calling Kyouya a girl. I imagine Kyouya knowing a little French, so he would naturally pick up on the joke. Why do I imagine this? Because he's brilliant, and because in the English dub Kyouya (J. Michael Tatum -hearts-) says the word "mademoiselle" with better French enunciation than Tamaki (Vic Mignogna).

French "Tu es très belle" : "You are very beautiful." In all honesty, I think that Tamaki is just being cruel, and he really is just teasing Kyouya. He's have too much fun with it….We'll just have to wait and see.

French "S'il te plait" : "Please." He changes it to "S'il vous plait" when Kyouya twists harder. I don't know what I was implying by this, but "S'il te plait" is less formal, and you would only use it with someone you were close to. By changing it to "vous" they seem less like best friends and more like distant acquaintances. Sad, non?

French "Je suis désolé" : "I'm sorry!"

Honorific "-san" : The equivalent of Mr. or Mrs. in the English language, it can also be used to convey respect, though not as much as -sama. Really, I think most of you probably know about all of these, so if you don't understand what I'm talking about just ask.

Japanese "Tono" : Because I chose to go with what they'd call him in the Japanese version rather than the English, instead of "Milord" or "Boss" Tamaki is "Tono" to the twins. It just means "Lord."

Oh my gosh, there's so fricken many! Next time I won't explain honorifics, just the French and stuff.

So, who dislikes the voice? I know it makes him insane, but the first time it talked was actually a mistake. See, when I get super upset and have my own little breakdowns, I have a little voice in my head that enjoys telling me how stupid and worthless and awful I am, and it also likes to write off my problems as me just feeling sorry for myself. If the writer is insane, then so is her characters, right? Yes, I have inward conversations with myself when I cry, and we argue a lot. How does that make you feel about this story?

Well, Mommy, are Prussia y France pleased now? That "licking his lips" thing made me think right to Francis, that pervert. I'm sorry Tamaki, you're not really that creepy!

Hmm, well, that voice probably won't be too much of an influence in chapter seven. Oh, and you should really take a note of things when the quotation marks around its words disappear, and when its and Kyouya's words mesh together. There's importance in that, just something to consider.

Better not write too much, the chapter's already super long. I guess I'll see you all in chapter seven, and guess who's making an appearance! It's time for the restaurant scene, enter angsty Italian! Just a question, depending on what I do, Feli may be there too. Why? Because I am a Feli fan girl, and either way he'll be there in person or in reference. Which would you guys prefer? (Also, you're running out of time to suggest a name for the restaurant! If you've got a specific word that you think would be good for it, even if it's in English and I have to find a nice translation for it, suggest it!)

Well, this thirty page (yes, I'm serious. Did it feel like thirty pages?) chapter is now complete, Ciao! (Reviews are much loved!)

(PS, I've changed the name of chapter five, to those who may care. I dunno know why that would matter, but maybe it does….)


	7. My Precious Treasure

Ugh, lame chapter title for lack of a better idea. If you have one, I'd gladly take it.

Alrighty, guys. I realize that this chapter has had a long wait (do any of you even wait? I doubt it, but if there are any of you I adore you.) If you were paying close enough attention (which would only need to be mild since I kept mentioning it and my Antonio made many comments about it) this chapter will contain a little guest appearance from four of my favorite characters in any anime ever~! I love all of them, and I think I did okay with them, so no "Why the Hell are they in here"s, alright? They are in here because Kyouya wanted it to be so, and you just don't deny Kyouya what he wants (Okay, you may, but I don't) Oh, and if this cameo isn't what you wanted, Kyouya, I apologize deeply. If it's alright, your welcome! Either way, at least I tried!

Well, this has gotten a total of ten hours tops (yes, I'm very meticulous) but that's a rather small number to me. Also, since word died on me I use my email to spell check, but it was too long to spell check the last bit so there may be mistakes there, and of course I proofread but I didn't proofread more than once, because I honestly don't really love this story anymore. I still like it, but the only reasons I finally wrote for it were because I wanna write more Hetalia and I wasn't allowing myself that until this was finished (what with Fanfiction's little screw up with Hetalia stories the next and final chapter may be out sooner than I anticipate, but don't count on it...I'm just gonna have a lot of Hetalia updates when they finally fix their mistake.) and because there were quite a few of you who reviewed, one of which I promised that I'd get this out by this Wednesday. ('tis five thirty AM and I am beat...)

Okie dokie, so my warning is this, prepare for a lot more swearing. Do you guys think that I should raise the rating for this one chapter? Also it gets kinda mushy and junk...

So without further adieu, I give you freedom to embark on this horrible travesty that is a fanfiction...commence!

**I DON'T OWN OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB OR HETALIA: AXIS POWERS/WORLD SERIES (because, for one, there aren't random cameos in real anime and manga...)**

Even though the cake was perfect for him, Kyouya still couldn't manage to stomach more than a few bites. He was suddenly feeling unbearably sick, and had to put forth his every effort to not stand and leave without a single word to those around him. As the time to end club neared several girls, and the few boys who had come for the special occasion, decided to say their final words, wishing him a happy birthday, handing him a small package, and leaving the school for the weekend. _Just a few more hours,_ he reminded himself wistfully. Then he could go home, away from all of them. His father was away on business, his brothers would most likely not be there, and none of them would even consider calling. All he had to do was get through dinner with Fuyumi, and then he could be sure that no one would disturb him. This dreadful day was near its close, and then he could forget about it for another year.

He smiled to the last girl as she presented her gift to him, blushing, and stuttering out a wish of a happy birthday to him. He nodded, telling her thank you, and kissed the hand that held the present. This horrible hurdle had been cleared.

Haruhi had left the instant she was allowed, not even bothering to give her last guests a proper final farewell. The twins had done the same, Hikaru storming out, cursing Kyouya and the stupidity of the world, with Kaoru close behind, trying in vain to calm his elder brother down.

Hunny was asleep on the couch, in pure bliss from having finished half of the giant cake, while Mori stared at the window with a thoughtful look on his face, probably afraid to wake the sleeping time bomb. Hunny was a notoriously scary person to wake up.

And then there was the idiot, the stupid, senseless, amazing idiot, who just couldn't seem to cease his constant cycle of hurting and being hurt. Kyouya just wasn't sure if he could bear being in a car with him right now, especially if the damnedable blush that still colored his cheeks didn't leave within the next ten minutes. _Dammit, Fuyumi. The things I do for you..._

He watched as Tamaki said his adieus to his customers, wondering idly what they felt like. He wondered how many of them despised Haruhi nearly as much as he did in that moment, and how many more of them would had they known Haruhi's gender. He squinted at the girl his friend was currently speaking to. _She's not that special, _he speculated. Haruhi was definitely more to worry about.

By now he had stopped questioning these thoughts. There obviously was no answer, and even if there was one he probably didn't want to know what it was. He was just observing Tamaki's life, most closely his love life. Who cared what his motives were. Who really cared how the information he gathered affected him. Who cared if he may or may not have been reacting in a proper way, who _fucking cared!_

His nose crinkled as Tamaki leaned down, pecking the small girl on the forehead as a parting gesture. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. _Just...who cares?_

_ I think you might. _He chuckled softly to himself. _I was wondering when you were going to speak up. It was getting pretty quiet in here. _The voice didn't reply. He guessed that it was because of his suddenly lethargic state. He didn't have the energy to argue with himself anymore. He just had to make it. Just a few more hours. A few more hours...just a few...

_ And no more Haruhi..._

He wasn't entirely sure if the thought belonged to him or the voice. All he knew is that the very concept of a day and a half with no one to bother him was the most appealing thing he'd thought of all day. No family...no host club...no Haruhi...no frivolous girls...

Yes, that would be the ultimate way to spend his birthday, by not celebrating. He needed to sleep anyway...he was so tired...the excitement of the day, of that one specific event, had drained him...now he just wanted...to forget it all...to sleep...

His eyes slid shut, and he began to feel as though he could do it all right there, leaned up against the wall. His breathing evened out, and for an instant he forgot, relinquished all of his unexplained hatred. He was able to fall into a state of bliss.

But then his phone rang.

Sighing irritably, he pulled the shrill sounding appliance out of his pocket, pressing the talk button and putting it to his ear. "Hello?" he answered, not hiding the discontent in tainting voice in the least.

"Kyouya? Tachibana and I are almost to Ouran. Are you ready to go?"

He smiled slightly. _Just one dinner... _"Yes, we are," he told her, hoping she would catch the key word in the statement.

"Oh, then is Suou-kun coming with us? That's marvelous!" She was definitely excited, so he would try to get by this one dinner.

"Yes. So, how long until you'll be here?" he asked, moving the subject on to a less...aggravating point.

She seemed to deliberate over it for a moment. He heard her whisper some words to Tachibana, then the phone clicked and he knew she had put it back to her face. "Umm...maybe fifteen minutes? It won't be too long. You should do everything you need to to get ready to leave. Pick up your stuff or whatever it is you do after club." She acted as though high school had changed so much in the few years it had been since she attended Ouran herself. Kyouya shook his head with a light chuckle; his sister could always make him smile.

"Alright, we'll be near the front entrance-"

"What?" he heard her say, though it obviously was away from the phone and therefore not to him. He again heard the sound of the phone being returned to her ear. "Kyouya, Tachibana wants to know if you have your umbrella," she said, her voice puzzled.

He laughed darkly, the malice being the first real emotion he'd felt in the last hour. "Tell that bastard that if he wants to keep his job he'll answer that, correctly, for himself."

Fuyumi laughed at the threat. "You guys are hilarious. We'll be there in a few, 'kay?"

Kyouya smiled. "Alright. See you then."

"See ya!" she chimed, and the next thing he heard was a beep as the line was cut off.

He hung up his cell phone, smiling to himself for a brief moment. Fuyumi and Tachibana: maybe the two people in the world he knew he could trust. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. They were all he needed, right?

And the day was almost over.

~.~.~

Ever since the incident with Haruhi, Tamaki had kept unusually silent. He wasn't quite sure of what he should say. Why did Kyouya force him to kiss a girl against his will? Of course, he would be lying to say that he didn't enjoy it in the slightest, but it was still unprecedented. Not to mention strange.

He knew that Kyouya would do unanticipated things occasionally to earn money, but this just seemed oddly timed.

And after that conversation they'd had, he'd been so sure that-

"Tamaki," Kyouya called from across the room, startling him out of his train of thought. "Come on, my sister's almost here."

With a bright smile plastered on his face, his cheeks slightly flushed from pleasure, he jogged to catch up with Kyouya, telling the other two hosts good bye. He slowed to a trot once at Kyouya's side. He walked so close beside him he could feel his body heat, their fingers almost unnoticeably brushing against each other on occasion. And yet...he wasn't pushed away.

Kyouya noticed the resulting beam on his friend's face, flushing a little himself at the fond gaze Tamaki was forcing on him. "Wh-what are you looking at, moron?" he demanded, his voice only slightly wavering.

Tamaki giggled, then moved his eyes away from Kyouya to stare straight ahead of him. He closed his eyes and hummed in contentment. "Oh, nothing~," he sang.

He couldn't dwell on every little detail, he just had to trust his instinct on this one (if anything, he prided himself in a very trustworthy sense when it came to these things.)

He just wouldn't think about Haruhi right now, or about the way Kyouya seemed intent to force him to like her in a way that he _just never would! _Today he wouldn't give in to the easier choice, the more logical path. It was a special day, and he wouldn't allow it to be ruined by family or friends or Kyouya's own stubborn personality.

_ I just can't give up._

~.~.~

Kyouya noted how happy the idiot had become since their conversation in the lab room. He was struck by the image of the kiss, shaking his head to try to dispel it but to no avail. Ruefully, he gave up, simply trying not to bear the heart wrenching memory too much mind.

Why did it hurt so bad? His friend was happy, and Haruhi was a good girl. Was it possible he was just afraid that he'd lose Tamaki?

_ That's preposterous. Tamaki isn't the type to simply forget his friends, even if he is in love. And dammit all if I'm not his _best_ friend! He's...He's just not that..._

_ That cruel._

His eyes watered, though he didn't understand why. He was so...unstable today...

Suddenly he became aware of how close Tamaki was to him. He felt his body heat emanating off of him as though in waves. _Wh-what the hell? _he thought, flustering again. He bit his lip, staring ahead and putting forth his best effort to ignore the pulsing heat against him, or the continual contact of their fingers as they brushed every few steps

He tried to ignore it...but...

"Dammit, you idiot, why are you so fucking close?" he shouted out suddenly, shoving Tamaki roughly away.

The blond stared at him, confused by the sudden out-burst. "Kyouya, you could have just said..." he trailed off, swept up in the frenzied look in the chocolate colored eyes as they looked everywhere-anywhere!-but into his own violet ones.

Kyouya, working with some difficulty to keep his breathing steady, continued walking, not looking at Tamaki, and sure as hell not giving Tamaki the chance to get a close look at him.

He stepped into the lobby area of the school, watching the rain fall outside through the windows in the heavy doors of the main entrance. He sighed. What was happening to him?

He heard Tamaki's footsteps as he joined him, standing slightly further away than before but still too close for Kyouya's comfort. "You're being weird today, mon ami," he said softly. He didn't even look at Kyouya as he waited for a reply. Just stared out at he pounding rain. "You know, you really should enjoy your birthday more than you allow yourself to." No reply. "And if I ruin it as much as you say I do then-"

"Don't," Kyouya mumbled, cutting him off. Tamaki looked at him, confused again. Kyouya continued staring out the window with a contemplative expression oh his face. He tried to talk again , but Kyouya wasn't having it. "What was your first clue?"

Tamaki gave him a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

Kyouya closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, then opening them to continue staring at the dismal weather. "When did you remember that it was my birthday? When we walked into the clubroom and it was set up for a party?" His voice, though weak and hushed, had an accusatory edge to it.

Tamaki turned to face him, now completely lost. "What are you talking about? Are you implying that I forgot? Kyouya, I-"

A look of vague interest passed through the dulled brown eyes in that moment. "My sister's here. Let's go..." and with that, he pushed through the doors, leaving Tamaki dumbfounded before blinking and running to catch up to him, sliding into the car behind him.

~.~.~

Fuyumi looked back happily at the blond as he sat down and fastened his seat belt. She had a strange affection for this particular friend of Kyouya's, though she really didn't know the others so it wasn't really so odd. But maybe there was a deeper meaning to her draw to the young Suou. She really loved the way that, seldom though they were even with Tamaki there, Kyouya's smiles always seemed great deal more truthful than they did when he wasn't around. She couldn't be happier that, even though it was generally not a good thing for his friend, Kyouya tended to open up a little and dropped his professional demeanor. He allowed himself to be angry, to be moved, to be upset, and nothing was better than that because when he was eventually happy there was no doubt that it was real. Best of all, though, she loved that she didn't have to worry that he would abandon or betray her brother. If their father was away on business she felt at peace knowing that Kyouya could always go to Tamaki if he needed it.

"Hello, Suou-kun! How are you?" she greeted congenially.

Tamaki smiled at her, making Kyouya shift awkwardly. Why did that idiot have to smile that way to every girl? It was like he was in love with any pretty face that accepted him, and even those that weren't that beautiful by Kyouya's standards.

_ Even Haruhi..._and then he started to ponder it. What if he was just acting the way to Haruhi that he did to all women? What if he wasn't truly in love with her?

He smiled wistfully at the thought. Hadn't he already gone through this? He had his proof, why was he still thinking about it?

"Salut, Fuyumi-san!" Tamaki returned excitedly. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, I hope it's not too much of an annoyance."

Fuyumi looked at him in confusion. "It's no inconvenience, we may need you there..." She pondered the greeting. "What was that word? _Sa-ru?_"

Tamaki laughed. He had always thought that Fuyumi was so unlike the other Ootori's he had met. She was always smiling, and laughing. She was kind to anyone without really worrying about how it made her look to others. Funniest of all, she was so curious. He occasionally dropped a word of French into their conversations just so she could absorb it like an ever learning child. It was a little exchange that they shared every time they saw each other, and always proved to entertain them.

Not to mention annoying the hell out of Kyouya.

It had always irritated him the way that Tamaki and his sister seemed to engage in such enthralled conversation. He just didn't see it fit that his sister should click so easily with his best friend, and-though he would never admit it out loud-he didn't like the way that Tamaki payed so much attention to Fuyumi. He told himself that it was simply because Tamaki was so eccentric and it might offend Fuyumi's husband, but there might have been another reason that he didn't understand, or at least that he hadn't yet accepted.

Tamaki leaned forward in his seat towards the seat in front of him. Kyouya looked away, unaware of the slight pink dusting his cheeks. _He's like a child..._

"Salut," Tamaki repeated. "It's just an informal greeting." The pronunciation went right over Fuyumi's head, as the French words Tamaki sprung on her often did, and instead she just smiled and shook her head.

"Well, this certainly will be more fun with you there, Suou-kun. I'm glad you could come." She gave him one last grateful grin and turned around, relaxing in her seat. Tamaki instead turned to look at the driver.

"Hello Tachibana-san," he said.

Tachibana jumped at the sudden remark. "O-oh, hello Suou-san..." he said nervously. He was always set on edge by the name, never feeling that it was proper for someone of the Suou family (or of any rich family for that matter) to use an honorific in his name. His master didn't, nor did Ms. Fuyumi. In fact, he was sure no one ever had other than the commoners he knew away from work. Yet Tamaki never dropped it, and though this flattered him, he couldn't get used to it.

Suddenly Fuyumi's nose crinkled. "You guys are all wet, Kyouya, where's your umbrella?" she demanded. Kyouya didn't move his eyes from the rushing scene outside of his window.

He closed his eyes sadly, slowly taking a deep breath at the memory still glued to the back of his eyelids. He wouldn't admit to regretting it, though. Not out loud...

_ It was your own fault, you idiot._

He opened his eyes and shifted his attention to his sister, placing a bored expression on his features. Tamaki noted this, and smiled to himself, albeit somewhat unhappily, with the knowledge that it was fake. He was beginning to see past the illusions and deceits.

"Yes, well...we just wanted to hurry to the car, so I didn't take the time to take it out." Tachibana relaxed a little, grateful that he hadn't been wrong about his master having an umbrella. The threat on his job may have been a joke, but then again it may not have been too.

"Well, I guess we'll have to go home so you can change anyway...and it's on the way to the restaurant so it's not so inconvenient," she thought aloud.

Kyouya moved his gaze back to the window, and Tamaki fidgeted nervously. "P-perhaps you should just take me home, Fuyumi-san..." he mumbled, worried over the melancholy attitude Kyouya was showing. "I don't have a change of clothes so..." he trailed off, looking to his hands that he twiddled in his lap.

Fuyumi, oblivious to it all, puffed out her cheeks in a stubborn determination to have Kyouya's best friend there whether Kyouya said he wanted it-she knew that he did, despite what he claimed-or not. "Nonsense! You can borrow a suit of Kyouya's!" she declared, her vocal tone not giving the impression that she gave a care to how Kyouya felt about this.

Tamaki blushed violently, looking away to hide it. Kyouya, on the other hand, didn't seem to care to hide it at all. He turned to his sister rapidly, revealing the brilliant red of his cheeks. "What? Fuyumi, I didn't consent to that!" There was something about sharing clothes...it was indirect contact, right? Even if he washed it until it was tattered shreds it would still emanate Tamaki. He took an inconspicuous glance at his friend in his peripheral vision, who was tense and still looking out the window as if the world outside of the car would answer some question he needed to know, as if his life depended on it. And, with the pressure in his chest, Tamaki didn't doubt that it just may have.

Fuyumi didn't turn around. "I didn't ask for your consent, Kyouya. You're best friends, it should be okay. I always borrowed my friends clothes. Hmm, what should he wear...?" She tapped her lips in a dazed contemplation.

"What? He's not wearing-"

"I know!" she exclaimed, hitting her palm with her fist as the epiphany consumed her. "I know exactly what he should wear, and you too. Oh this will just be marvelous!" She clapped in glee.

Tamaki laughed at her, turning but hiding his burning face from Kyouya in a show of playing with his bangs. "Fuyumi-san, it's a dinner out, not a wedding," he teased, not realizing that what he said made Kyouya's flush flare once again. The raven haired boy turned to the window, his breath heaving and his heart pounding. He clutched his chest, staring wide eyed at nothing.

_ D-dammit, what is this? _he thought, working to keep his breathing silent enough that the other three in the car wouldn't hear it. The entire day this had been happening, what was it? He tried to justify it, understand it, and in some aspects he was beginning to realize the cause, for everything he felt that day, and almost every day he saw Tamaki, seemed to happen after some thought, had some direct connection with the blond...

But, of course that couldn't be true. Thus he pushed the kneading thought to the back of his mind, not allowing it to fill his mind or press his heart for too long at any given time. Yet somehow it kept managing to snake it's way back there.

He was starting to understand all of it.

~.~.~

He stood outside of his house in his suit, staring out at the rain, now just a drizzle, as he buttoned and straightened it. Not his favorite, but this suit wasn't bad. Simple, slate colored. He preferred black, but this wasn't bad. She had, however, made a point of choosing a teal tie he refused to wear. He sighed, why couldn't it just be black? The shirt underneath was a lighter, steel color, so it was light enough to see it if it was. _Oh well, not the worst she could have chosen, _he accepted that, picturing the worse option...

Which Tamaki walked out in, shuffling the fabric so it didn't feel like it was suffocating him, all his labors in vain. He'd worn suits before, they weren't a problem to him. But this wasn't his suit, and with that thought his cheeks warmed again. Kyouya gave him a disgusted look, causing him to recoil with a feeling of insecurity. "W-what? It's-it's not that bad, is it?" he stuttered out.

Well, there was a reason he disliked that suit. It was an even lighter grey than his shirt, about the color of mild storm clouds, with a black shirt underneath, and a very soft lavender colored tie. It was just too...bright for him, and the black on grey killed him with the contrast. On him, it was awful. On Tamaki, he wavered, it didn't look...completely atrocious. "No. It looks...different, but I've seen you in worse." He thought about the club's many cosplays, especially the female one. Even if they hadn't looked bad they were still insane.

Tamaki took that as a compliment. He had thought the colors looked alright with his hair and eye colors. He wasn't accustomed to wearing such sombre colors, but still...

Fuyumi walked out, changed as well into a modest pine colored dress that went to her knees with simple tan, closed toe heels. It clung at the torso, but the skirt part of the dress flared out elegantly and comfortably. She wore minimal jewelry, a simple gold chain and matching earrings, and her hair was pulled up in a simple, loose bun. Kyouya shrugged: his sister really never was a very flashy person even if she could afford to be.

Tachibana handed them their umbrellas, and Tamaki blushed. "Mine's in my bag, I'll be right-"

"No," Kyouya interrupted. "Just...come on, we'll be late for our reservation." He raised his own umbrella over Tamaki's head, causing the blond to follow when he pulled it back so they were both covered. Fuyumi watched with wide eyes. Tamaki didn't know what it meant to share an umbrella in Japan, but she did, and knew well enough that Kyouya did too.

Following quickly, she pondered the relationship her brother had with his supposed best friend. She shook her head, a bit flustered by what she didn't know at the time to be a hint at something that should have been obvious from the start. Who knew that Kyouya could be so bold?

~.~.~

When they pulled up to the restaurant after a car ride of awkward silence Tamaki was the first to get out, not understanding the tense atmosphere that had suddenly crept upon them. He hoped that it wouldn't stay through dinner as he opened the umbrella he held and scurried over to open Kyouya's door so they could walk into the restaurant under the protection of the same umbrella again. This time it was his turn to blush at the action while the other two remained unaware of the etiquette rule he had displayed unintentionally.

Tachibana told them that he would return when Fuyumi texted him, and was then gone. Tamaki eyed the sign above the small, elegant little restaurant. Kyouya took note of it and looked at him puzzled. _Mon Trésor. _"Does it mean something?" he inquired.

Tamaki nodded. "It's, ah, My Treasure...um, I'm guessing the lighting will be dim, there will be soft music...you know, it'll be very..." but he didn't need to finish as they walked in. Romantic, enticing, and calming. Yes, it was definitely a French restaurant.

The blond looked to Fuyumi. "Why a French restaurant?" he asked.

Her eyes were full of joy. The place was magnificent, she would have to reserve a table for her anniversary. "I thought it would be a fun experience. Is it authentic?"

He threw a quick glance around. It was decorated very splendidly, just like a French palace, or the Grantaine mansion he remembered from his childhood. The memory made him smile sadly, sighing as he answered. "Yes, quite so..."

Kyouya, feeling an uncharacteristic worry at the dejected tone of Tamaki's voice, put his hand on the blond's back, shoving him in the direction of the Maitre'D. Fuyumi went and told them her name as the other two gave the greeter their coats and umbrellas to hang up in the designated room. They were led to a table next to a window. There was a small oil candle in the middle, and the plates and silverware were arranged according to the order they would use them as French culture would assume. Outside the window they could see a beautiful garden, though the flowers were starting to die with the approaching cold weather, whereas the leaves of the trees were still brightly colored and falling.

It was a very peaceful and preferable seat, but the hostess seemed rather sympathetic of them. Kyouya watched suspiciously as she walked away biting her lip.

Soon her worry was explained as a loud crash was heard from the direction of the kitchen, attracting the attention of most in the room. "Vaffanculo, I'm not your fucking slave!" a very angry brunette boy yelled in English as he was pushed through the doors to the dining room.

"Actually," a blond man with wavy hair in a chef's uniform corrected smoothly with a bit of malice, "you are, but Antonio denied my first idea as to how you could pay me back, so you ended up here. Now, go be a good waiter and take their order. Shoo!" and the man walked back into the kitchen, leaving the steaming boy who reluctantly trudged over to the table.

"Ciao. How can I help you?" he said belligerently. Somehow it sounded more like a threat than a question. They all looked at their waiter, shocked by his attitude. Not only that, but they were confused by the exchange that had gone on in front of the kitchen. The man, most likely the owner, with the rather feminine hairstyle was obviously French, but this boy...ciao? That was Italian, and his accent suggested the same.

As they pondered the strange events and people they were faced with, the doors to the kitchen opened again, and another person with light brown hair was dragged out and dropped on the floor. "Go help your brother, he fails at this," the blond man ordered, while the new addition to the hectic mix sat on the ground crying into her hands.

"B-b-big b-bro-ther, yo-ou're so m-mean," she blubbered out, but got up and walked over to the table despite her tear streaked cheeks.

Suddenly someone at the table next to their's got up hastily and took a step as if to walk over to the crying girl. Another man grabbed him, however, restraining him while snickering and pounding on the table at the sight.

As the small waitress walked up to the table, tears still falling, both Kyouya and Tamaki realized that she wasn't a she at all (they knew by now how to determine the difference). Of course, they knew plenty of people who cross dressed, but this person was a little too good at it for their comfort. He was mistakable to the untrained eye, and this was unsettling.

"N-nii-chan, you have to be nice!" he whispered to the other boy, who was about to argue when he saw him, eyes widening at the frilly maid's outfit the other was wearing, as opposed to the male uniform that he should have been sporting. "B-bienvenue~!" he chimed even though he was still sniffling from crying. "Can we get you started with some drin-"

"Feliciano, what the hell are you wearing?" the elder boy shouted, his face horribly flushed.

The younger, lighter complexioned brother looked up at him in confusion and fear. "Nii-chan, he said if I wore it we could be done sooner, and I know that you don't wanna be here so-"

"Shut the fuck up, idiota! Go change right fucking now!" he ordered.

"I c-can't!" the younger cried. "Big brother Francis won't give me a boy's uniform, he said I already agreed to this so-"

The boy stopped when a loud laughter sounded from the table from before. Kyouya turned, realizing by their hair colors that they were also foreigners, and the one laughing was albino at that, his eyes blood red. The brunette looked to the obstructive noise, his eyes taking a look of murderous intent as he lunged at the man, tackling him to the ground and making an attempt to strangle him, but the loud laughter never faltered.

The other man, blond with blue eyes, stood and took his chance to grab the younger boy, whispering fiercely to him. The auburn haired boy started to cry again, covering his face with his hands. "M-mi dispiace, I'm sorry! I used to work in a d-dress when I was y-younger! Is it really so wr-wrong?"

The taller, blond man sighed. Everyone in the restaurant could see the blush in his cheeks as he told the boy not to cry. He looked over at the albino and brunette, still tangled in a one sided fight while one continued to choke on the air. He walked over to them and ripped the boy off of his companion, meriting a very fiery glare from him. "Don't you touch me, bastardo!"

Ignoring this he pulled the red eyed man to his feet. "Come on, bruder. Go to the car."

The man gave him a disbelieving stare. "What? Come on, West, the fun just started!"

"Now, bruder!" the blond ordered. The albino huffed and walked away, stopping to flirt with the maitre'D while his acquaintance, Kyouya guessed brothers, stormed into the kitchen. Moments later he walked out looking exasperated. He again looked the younger Italian in the eyes sternly. "I couldn't afford your entire debt with what I have on me, so you'll have to finish tonight in that outfit, but I'll pick you up after your shift is over." The smaller boy nodded, jumping to wrap his arms around the blond's neck in an affectionate embrace.

"Grazie, Ludi, grazie mille~!" he sang, evoking a deep blush in the taller man's cheeks.

"Ja, ja. Just..." He pushed the boy away, causing a bell like giggle to ring from him. "Just watch what your doing next time you-"

"Hey!" the older brother yelled. "What about me, potato bastard?"

The man raised an eyebrow at him. "You should talk to Antonio about that. Otherwise, I hope you learn to serve better in the next week." He turned his head and mumbled. "It would do you some good, you damned brat."

The albino was suddenly slapped by the young hostess, whose cheeks were rather pink as she looked away and returned to the customers. The blond man sighed. "I better go before bruder gets himself sued. I can't afford you two," he complained, though the boy in the dress just laughed.

"Ciao, then~!"

The blond smiled and shook his head. "Ja. See you later."

And the other two left, leaving only the problem of the two Italians for the table to deal with. Kyouya sighed in relief, unknowing of the trouble ahead. The turbulence had just begun.

~.~.~

Kyouya was silently gathering information on the two before him: he knew that they were brothers, he could tell that the brunette was the older of the two, he assumed that the boy was always as loud as he exhibited here, he found out that the two who had left were the auburn haired boy's best friend and his brother, that the owner of the restaurant was a Frenchman to whom the boys owed money for whatever reason, that their names were Lovino and Feliciano, that they were in fact Italian, that this wasn't the first time the younger boy had worn a dress, that the elder had as well, that Lovino was quite easily provoked to blushing, that Feliciano-though the nicer of the two-was entirely klutzy and not worth more than a little entertainment and kind words when it came to waiting on others-

Basically, he was learning that Fuyumi had managed to pull them into an asylum of incompetence, and he regretted a little more passionately the instant he'd consented to it with every passing moment. Yet...his sister was smiling-she just found Feliciano to be the cutest little maid ever, and Lovino to be cute in his own demented way as well-and somehow that dimmed the flaming fury at his two useless waiters, turning his desire to kill into a dull sense of irritation behind his sick amusement at every time they embarrassed themselves.

At that moment, the table had finished their appetizers, and Fuyumi and Tamaki were engaged in a conversation about their latest discoveries in commoner's snack foods. Apparently, Fuyumi had tried for her first time a popular carbonated drink called "Ramune" and strawberry flavored pocky. _What the hell is pocky? _Kyouya thought, slightly repulsed. _The name doesn't even sound like it would have a good flavor. Who would eat that?_

As Tamaki gushed about his favorite flavor of the disgustingly named snack, Kyouya noted out of the corner of his eye the approaching waiters, the nicer one-the one dressed as a girl, what was his name?-carried a tray of something, which Tamaki explained was probably sorbet to cleanse their pallets, and Lovino brought a pitcher of water and the bottle matching the contents of Fuyumi's nearly empty glass of wine. As they neared, Kyouya noted that the younger-dammit, his name was a lot longer than his brother's!-was holding his breath and watching his feet carefully, peeking up every few steps to avoid tripping on something. Kyouya chuckled slightly. So maybe Fuyumi was right about that one being "cute". He acted like a child, but a very devoted child. He was working so hard not to mess up, and just like a young boy when his efforts failed they depressed him deeply, but he kept trying. Now he was working hard to keep the tray he held above his head from leaning and dropping one of the tiny glasses of melting sorbet. His brother, already having reached the table, looked back at him as he tentatively placed his feet one by one, slowly walking toward the table. The elder scoffed. "Veneziano, you're so fucking slow. Hurry up, dumb ass!"

As he took his final steps to the table the younger pouted at his brother. "Ve, Lovi~! Don't be so mean, and don't swear in front of our guests!" he pleaded, setting each individual glass in front of the three waiting. Lovino took to filling Kyouya and Tamaki's glasses up with water (Tamaki didn't want to order a drink because of the expense, and Kyouya just wasn't one for sweet or tart sodas and juices, so he always asked for water in a restaurant)

"Don't call me Lovi, dammit!" he shouted at his younger brother, then he turned to Fuyumi, pouring the same small amount of wine as he had the first glass. "Mi dispiace, bella. Forgive me and mio fratellino, we're not used to this sort of thing. It truly is a pleasure to serve a young woman as beautiful as you though," he purred, gingerly taking Fuyumi's hand into his own and kissing it. Kyouya's nose crinkled at this, and Tamaki's already smiling mouth twitched up less than a centimeter. As Fuyumi flushed and nodded an assurance Kyouya watched the Italian carefully. The movements he made were only slightly different than what he witnessed daily at the host club. _Maybe it's just a __European thing..._he decided, glancing from the brunette to the blond beside him, and back.

After his brother had fulfilled his purpose at the table and began to walk away, the other-reading the name-tag pinned to the frilly dress he wore, Kyouya discovered for the second time that night that the name was Feliciano-explained the use of the sorbet, which was exactly as Tamaki had said, and that it was pineapple flavored. Finishing up by telling them that their food would be out shortly, he bowed deeply and pranced off back to the kitchen.

Kyouya gazed after the odd boy, starting when he heard his sister and friend giggle in unison.

"She's so adorable," Fuyumi gushed, taking a bite of the sorbet and humming contentedly. "I wonder if she and that blond guy were dating..."

Kyouya flushed, unsure why but knowing that the idea set him on edge. "F-Fuyumi, that's not-"

Tamaki interrupted Kyouya quickly, not allowing him to divulge to his sister their waiter's true gender. "I don't know, but it did seem like it was possible, didn't it, Kyouya?" he observed, turning to his friend who occupied himself with keeping his breathing steady and adjusting his glasses to hide his increasingly red face.

Kyouya scoffed at the assumption. "I don't think so, Tamaki. You know as well as I do that they aren't very _compatible,_" he said, puzzling Fuyumi greatly.

"Kyouya you don't even know them, how can you say tha-"

"Well, mon ami," Tamaki argued, smirking at the color of the skin hidden by the raven colored bangs. "They did seem to have rather different personalities, but then again so do you and I, and look how close we are."

Kyouya looked at him in horror_. Tamaki, what are you implying? You_- He caught his thought, biting his lip to banish it. "Well, maybe personally it's possible, mon copain, but on a more skin deep level they can't-" He swallowed, realizing how dry his throat felt suddenly. "Physically they don't match up..." he said, feeling a little irritation at the wistful sound of the statement as he uttered it.

Tamaki's stare was unwavering. "Do you have a problem with that?" he murmured, so low that Fuyumi couldn't hear.

She stood from her seat. "What are you guys talking about?" she demanded, seeing the unexplainable look of...pain, almost, that flashed across her little brother's expression.

Without missing a beat Tamaki smiled up at her. Kyouya watched with an unfathomable pang of exasperation as the "Host Smile" struck again, sending Fuyumi-a married woman!-back into her seat with trembling knees. "Nothing, Fuyumi-san. Just the possibilities of the two and their relationship. Kyouya doesn't think that it's likely that they're even interested in each other." Kyouya swallowed hard. Dammit, how was he so smooth in lying?

He gasped at the thought. How does one become an impassable liar? By practice of course. He looked at the blond in horror. How often did Tamaki lie, and how many of those lies had been to him? _"You don't have to see right now, I do!" _Had that been a lie? Did he care, or was it just beneficial if Kyouya thought that he did.

Another pang, this time of some mixture of pain and betrayal. No...he'd believed him. Throughout their friendship, had all of the words of comfort and adoration been lies? _"B-but Kyouya, I just wanna be friends!" "I wish you thought as much of me as I do of you." "I miss France, but there's one problem...I'd miss my best friend too much if I went back now." _He groaned softly at the warmth that filled his cheeks as memories ran through his mind, reminding him of the affection he'd blatantly ignored or rejected time and time again. But there was more to it than that. He'd lied to Tamaki so many times, especially in the beginning. He'd fooled him into believing that they were friends, though admittedly he didn't do anything to earn such a prize (which at the time he had seen as a terrible curse). Now, did he have any right to feel hurt if Tamaki had done the same?

_ No! _he cried inwardly. _No, he's not that type! He wouldn't. He wouldn't-!_

"Kyouya," Tamaki called, concern obvious in his voice. Kyouya looked at him, causing the violet eyes to widen when they captured the pain there. "Kyouya..." he sighed again, raising his hand to touch his friend's shoulder. _He's...trembling..._he observed sadly. Kyouya never trembled. What was going on?

Kyouya flinched away from the hand outstretched to him. _No, _he thought again, shaking his head slightly. _If he is lying, then I choose to believe every falsehood he feeds me._

Before Tamaki could say anything he caught a flash of Feliciano prancing towards the table with a tray held above his head. "Look, look~! Doesn't it all look delicious?" he sang, setting the plates down in front of the appropriate people. Lovino came out, setting down Fuyumi's while winking at her. "Is there anything else we can do for you?"

Tamaki smiled up at the boys. "Non, merci beaucoup. It all looks wonderful!" he assured the bouncy Italian waiter, soothing the somewhat anxious look on the boy's face.

"Oh, I'm so glad! Then we'll come again if you need anything~!" and thus he giggled and danced away, taking his brother by the arm and halting his flirting. Kyouya watched, blinking when they both stopped and turned. The younger leaned over and whispered to his elder. "Hey, Lovi~. Do you think those two are innamorato?"

The brunette boy's face darkened as he promptly smacked his younger brother over the head. "Don't be stupid, idiota! They're both guys!" he hissed.

The auburn haired brother looked up at him in confusion and innocence. "So what? So are Lu-I mean...ehem, you and nii-chan."

Somehow the flaming red of the elder's cheeks got darker. "The tomato bastard's got nothing to do with this, dammit! Now stop being a fucking moron, we've got other tables to serve!" and having said that he stomped into the kitchen. Casting a quick, dream-like glance over to the table again the younger followed happily, humming a very soft song to himself.

Kyouya wasn't sure what "i-na-mo-ra-to" meant, but he really wasn't sure he wanted to find out. Shaking the thought away, he leaned and inhaled the steam rising from his fileted salmon. It did smell amazing, and Tamaki's chicken smelled just as mouthwatering. The blond caught the luxurious expression Kyouya wore as he contemplated what the amazing scent would translate into as far as taste went. He smirked and chuckled. Ah, the chance was just too tempting. "Kyouya, you look like you want a bite," he pointed out, cutting off the first piece and raising it to Kyouya's slightly parted lips, which clamped shut in reaction. He urged the food closer, causing Kyouya to cringe and push the offering away.

"Don't be so stupid, eat your food," he growled, picking up a piece of the fish on his fork and opening his mouth to take a bite. Seeing his opportunity, Tamaki grabbed Kyouya's chin and pulled gingerly so they were face to face, sliding his fork into his mouth before he had a chance to close it.

Flushing profusely Kyouya pulled away as immediately as possible, chewing the food and swallowing in shock. He was too numb to relish in how good it tasted, staring with wide eyes at his plate. Tamaki smiled happily, half in success and half at the reaction he got.

"Well, how does it taste?" he asked. Kyouya raised his eyes just in time to see the same fork that had just been on his tongue slide into Tamaki's mouth. The blond giggled. "Heheh, this really is good! Great choice Fuyumi-san!"

The second time. That was the _second time! _Maybe Tamaki didn't think anything of it, but Kyouya couldn't help but feel flustered at the technical contact. Dammit, why did that aggravate him so much?

It was so angering, but...he didn't really mind...did he?

Well, if Tamaki could do it, why should he be so afraid of it. He scooped another piece of his own meal onto his fork, turning to his friend who had stopped talking and taken to eating. "Hey," he called, causing Tamaki to turn and swallow his previous bite. His mouth formed to ask what, granting Kyouya access. He slid his fork onto Tamaki's tongue, smirking when both his eyes and mouth widened. "Don't just sit there like a deer in the headlights, moron. Close your mouth." Tamaki did as he was told, his cheeks flushing so red that Kyouya blinked in surprise. He didn't care about the other times, because he had been the one in control, and the only one affected, but now Kyouya would use the fork. It would be the first time the contact had been made in a way that Kyouya, too, would be considered, for lack of a better phrase, "swapping spit." He cringed at the idea as the fork slid out of his mouth, and Kyouya turned, quickly taking another bite to hide his embarrassment.

_ Admit it, you were lying, _his subconscious ordered. He closed his eyes and nodded slowly once. _I was. That's...just as...intriguing as when the girls did it. _He felt odd to admit such a thing, but he couldn't deny it after that. The blush was, in it's own way...cute...and he wouldn't mind seeing it again. _I won't say that out loud though!_

"Well?" he asked. "How was it?" Tamaki looked at him, his eyes still wide.

"It was...um...it..." He stared at his plate. "Really something special," he answered, not entirely sure what he was talking about himself.

Kyouya smiled, but said nothing. Of course, neither of them noticed that Fuyumi was staring in awe at them. After that display she just had nothing to say. What could she really believe except the obvious? It didn't matter, though, because for once they were both happy, blissful even, and not even the most prejudiced judging or snarky comments could change that.

As for the Italians, one was left smiling like an idiot to himself after having caught a glimpse of the happenings whilst taking the orders of another table while the older brother sighed to himself, for once dropping the angry and hateful act he normally had plastered up. He pulled out the tomato ring he never wore (though secretly always keeping it on his person) while picturing the happy sunny face of the person who had given it to him. How could two idiots drooling over each other make him jealous? Well, it didn't matter, because he knew who would come to pick him up as soon as the wine-bastard let him go, and somehow that made his eternal frown perk up ever so slightly at the corners.

~.~.~

They had all finished their meals, with friendly banter resuming between Tamaki and Fuyumi as Kyouya was left to contemplate to himself. He wanted to know how to bring that spectacular color back to the pale cheeks of the boy next to him. Perhaps offer a bite of his dessert? But how unoriginal. Ugh, if only he had more time, he wasn't ready for his birthday to be over yet!

As their plates were swept away by the older Italian, who was being surprisingly quiet all of a sudden and had even ceased to flirt with Fuyumi, the younger inquired if they would be having dessert. Fuyumi smiled up at him. "Of course he will. What do you want, Kyouya?" she asked, still a little nervous over what had happened a mere twenty minutes before, in her own obvious presence no less!

He looked over the menu, then to Tamaki. "I don't..." he mumbled, leaving the thought hanging, but Tamaki understood completely.

He glanced at the dessert options, smiling and pointing to one so Feliciano could see. "I say he'd like the mixed berry chocolat brulee," he said, recieving a happy nod.

"Oh, big brother Francis made that for me once~! It's really yummy! I'll go have them get that for you!" He looked over to Fuyumi. "Is that all, then?" he asked, just to be sure.

Fuyumi nodded. Kyouya, for the first time, realized that she looked rather hazed. Two glasses of wine and a low alcohol tolerance were the combination he saw now. Oh well, at least Tachibana would be driving them. The boy skipped away, back to the kitchen. Kyouya noted inwardly how much better he had become at serving in the last hour. He took a sip of his water, smiling.

"I don't assume you wanted something painfully sweet, right?" Tamaki clarified, unsure of his choice.

Kyouya gave him a smile, probably the warmest he ever had, though it wasn't without a hint of coolness. "You assumed correctly. Thank you." Tamaki smiled back.

"Anything, anytime," he promised, making Kyouya's face warm up. Dammit, why was Tamaki the only one who could induce that?

As soon as the dessert came out, Fuyumi left to call Tachibana, wobbling a bit as she ambled away. Kyouya shook his head and looked to the plate of a warm custard filled pie-like treat, smothered in blackberries and raspberries and drizzled in a purple mixture of the juices.

Mouthing a silent "wow" he broke a piece of the dessert and scooped it up with his fork, sliding it into his mouth and gasping. It was better than Hunny's cake.

He looked over to Tamaki who was resting his cheek against his hand and gazing at him fondly. "Is it good?" he asked.

Mustering up his courage, Kyouya scooped up another bite of the food and nudged it against Tamaki's lip in an enticing offering. "I don't know, why don't you find out for yourself?" Blinking, Tamaki opened his mouth and pulled the bite off with his teeth, cheeks tinting a light pink. Kyouya grimaced. That was more of a teaser than the real thing. Oh well. He continued eating the dessert, easing into the habit of giving a bite to Tamaki every now and then until he was offering one after each that he took himself.

Suddenly, though, upon one of the offerings Tamaki declined. "Ah, Kyouya, do you think that I could...come over for the night...I have something to show you, a-and it can't wait until tomorrow," he blurted out, averting his eyes and twiddling his thumbs.

Kyouya blinked. There was the blush he wanted, but he still didn't want to decline. "Oh, fine. If it really can't wait. You can't sleep in my suit, though, you'll have to borrow some pajamas." Tamaki's cheeks flared deeper.

"O-okay!" he said, swallowing and ruffling his hair awkwardly. Kyouya shrugged and popped the last bite of the dessert into his mouth. He wiped his mouth, standing. Tamaki showed him how to arrange his fork and plate to tell the waiters that he was done, fixed Fuyumi's for her, and put five thousand yen on the table as a tip, hoping that would suffice.

Feliciano, walking out of the kitchen with another table's food just in time to see them walk away called out to them. "Signors, grazie~! Grazie mille, buona notte~!" They both looked back to the Italian, who was waving happily. Tamaki returned the wave, and Kyouya met it with a curt nod. They walked up as Fuyumi was paying, stepping aside to grab their coats and umbrella's and tipping the girl who had retrieved them.

They walked out to find Tachibana, who had been waiting for about ten minutes. He quickly got out of the car and ran under the awning. "S-Suou-san, I've brought you an umbrella!" he told Tamaki urgently and loudly over the now pouring rain.

Tamaki smiled, but graciously declined. "No thank you, Tachibana-san. You can use it. Kyouya...?" he asked hopefully. Kyouya smiled and opened his umbrella, getting unnecessarily close so they were both covered as they walked out into the roaring storm.

It was cold out, but somehow neither of them felt anything but warmth.

Ugh, is this way too long? It was to me, so weird...anyway, I hoped you liked the little cameo. I do so love Lovino, and so does my Kyouya, but I couldn't leave out Feli. Lovi just couldn't be alone in here. As an added note, would anyone read it if I wrote this chapter as a Hetalia fic that explains why they're there and a few extra details from before and after? I think it would be fun, just because I like the scenario...eh, eh? As you can see, it would imply GerIta and SpaMano, and Awesome would be there, plus I might show a little of Antonio to explain why he refuses to bail Lovi out. Anyone, anyone? I'll only write it if a few of you wanna see it, but I think it would be a good time...either way, I'm totally drawing Lovi and Feli in their uniforms, and I'll post a link of it in my deviant art on the next chapter. It's gonna be awesome, you know it is!

Okay, I'm just gonna let your mind guess at the Italian and German, because it's not that complicated and the only spoken languages in the group we're following are Japanese and French. If you wanna know what the little Italian words mean you're gonna have to read it in the seperate fic that I might write if you say you want me to, eh? (by the way, when Kyouya and Fuyumi hear words in foreign languages their minds translate them to the proper Japanese characters they would follow. Yeah, sorry if that's confusing, but I figure that's how it would happen in their heads. Also, I noticed that Tachibana doesn't use honorifics like he should. Just disregard him, he's just the help. X3

**Translation and Cultural Notes: **

French-Mon ami: My friend (this'll be the last time I go over it. I may not even use it again...depending on how the next chapter plays out)

French-Salut: The 't' is rather silent, thus Fuyumi's interpretation of the word as "Sa-ru" (that'd be Katakana, folks. That's how her Japanese toned ears heard the greeting)

Umbrellas and car doors: These are little quirks I just had to put in there. Apparently couples walk under the same umbrella in Japan, and it's pretty forward to ask someone to walk under your umbrella with you. If you've ever seen a drawing of an umbrella with two names written underneath it it's the same as someone in western cultures to write so and so 3 insert crush's name here (i.e. Kyouya Ootori HEART Tamaki Suou.) and then I'm sure you all got the car door thing. It's courteous on a date for the man to open his date's car door. I hit 'em both here, okay? They're just both little displays of amour, culturally diverse.

French-Bienvenue: This is French, not Italian. The Italian equivalent is Benvenuto, but Francis made them swear to use as little Italian as possible and, though Lovi clearly doesn't give a damn, Feli wants to do well so he uses the French Francis taught them. If you don't know who these characters are, you really need to go watch the first season of Hetalia. Honestly, people, you're missing out (human names are used because they're in the presence of humans. if you didn't already know Feliciano (Feli) = North Italy/Veneziano, Lovino (Lovi)/nii-chan = South Italy/Romano, Francis/nii-chan = the world's biggest pervert aka France [yeah, that's really his name people], Antonio/nii-chan = Spain/Tomato Bastard X3, Ludwig/Ludi/West/Potato Bastard number 1 = Germany, Bruder/Potato bastard number 2/Awesome = Awesome/Prussia/Gilbert)

French-Non, merci beaucoup = No, much thanks! Yeah, I just like the word beaucoup. So much fun to say!

yup, pretty sure those are the important ones...

Well, it's fricken late and I'm tired as hell. Woo, slumber party with Lovi and China tomorrow, better catch some sleep! Okie dokie, see you next time in the ever so exciting (not really) and impatiently awaited (probably even less so) conclusion of this wonderful (oh, now you just know you're stretching it!) fanfiction!

By the way, reviews definitely make me update faster, so if you wanna get this over with or just have nothing better to do and want my story to ease your boredom for an hour or however long it takes you to read it then review and remind me that you're still reading it! It would honestly make me so happy, so please? I'm not asking for a long essay, just a few words of advice or criticism! Yes, much appreciated, and to those that reviewed already, well just keep doing what you're doing! Alright guys, here goes! See you in chapter eight, hope you'll be waiting (incidentally, this will be ending on the number eight, which is Tamaki's birth date, and this particular chapter with the cameo specially included for my Kyouya is the seventh, which is her least favorite number. Ha, poor Kyouya~)

Alright, ciao, au revoir!


End file.
